CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

The use of cartoons by most newspapers in Nigeria has become a household name. It is evident that cartoons in newspapers create a kind of permanent images in the mind of the readers.

According to Ahuja and chhabra (2002:22-23) stated that cartoons are one of the light materials used by newspaper houses to lighten the mood of their readers as they (cartoons) have become an integral and common feature of most newspapers, if not all. Ahuja and Chhabra in his words made it clear that even the most serious newspapers and magazines nowadays are expected to carry strip cartoons or topical comics here and there. It is one thing on which most of the newspapers seem to be agreed as it makes for the continued popularity of such newspaper and offers a welcome change from the cares, anxieties and worries of everyday life.

        The use of cartoons in most of the Nigerian newspapers adds fun to the reading of the newspapers by the audience; in the same vein, Rivers et al (1977:20-21), in his study stated that as an entertainment tool, cartoons provide respite for the individual which, perhaps encourages him to continuously indulge himself with such palliative media messages. Regardless of the escape they provide from the supposed dreary‘ and boredom‘ of reading straight news, features, commentaries and opinions, they are also a rich source of humour, satire, innuendos and parody, often used to condemn, commend, and generally pass across salient and trivial messages.

        Most readers tend to develop various reading strategies when reading news in newspapers; some of the audience prefers to view only pictures such as cartoons and other related images; while some prefers to write the write-ups to understand the messages in the newspapers.

Pictures are said to be worth a thousand words according to a Chinese saying, and as cartoons happen to be funny pictorial representations of real events and/or characters, this saying also applies to them. This is so because pictures are able to depict more clearly things that have to be explained in so many words. Apart from newspapers, cartoons are also used in magazines, journals, books as well as television programmes where they are animated and made to seem as if they are moving. The study in this regard wishes to study cartoons in some selected Nigeria newspapers and audience’s strategy.

1.2 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM

What really instigated the study was due to the variation in the scale of preference by audience of most of the Nigeria newspapers; it is believed that the imagining in most of the newspapers are the major causes of such variation in the preference of newspapers by most reader.

        Another issue discovered is that cartoons tend to be perceived by many newspaper readers from an entertainment laden perspective, sometimes considered by intellectuals to be for the simple minded and less intelligent, but inappropriate‘for more serious minded people.; according to Aina (2003) states that it is not surprising that some people view only musicals and drama on television, while also concentrating on fashion and comics in newspapers and magazines.

          The study wishes to examine the causes of such variation preference of newspapers by readers.

1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

The main aim of the research work is to carry out a study of cartoons in some selected Nigeria newspaper and audience reading strategy. Other specific objectives of the study include:

1. To examine the relationship between cartoons in newspapers and audience reading strategies
2. To determine the effect of cartoons in newspapers on the mind of the readers
3. To examine the significance of cartoons and the roles in a democratic society
4. To determine the effect cartoon in newspaper on newspapers sales in Nigeria
5. To proffer solution to above stated problems

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives of the study. The research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

1. What is the relationship between cartoons in newspapers and audience reading strategies?
2. What is the effect of cartoons in newspapers on the mind of the readers?
3. What is the significance of cartoons and the roles in a democratic society?
4. What is the effect cartoon in newspaper on newspapers sales in Nigeria?

1.5 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

Hypothesis 1

H0: there is no mean difference in gender responses of the respondents that the audience reading strategy of selected newspapers with cartoons differs

H1: there is mean difference in gender responses of the respondents that the audience reading strategy of selected newspapers with cartoons differs

Hypothesis 2

H0: cartoons newspapers does not influence reading of different newspapers by audience

H1: cartoons in newspapers influences reading of different newspapers by audience

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

The study of cartoons in some selected Nigeria newspapers and audience’s reading strategy will be of immense benefit to the entire press, the Nigeria newspapers and the federal government as it will reveal the roles of cartoons in newspapers and newspaper sales in Nigeria; images tends to pass permanent information to the audience that just words.

This study also examined the relevance of cartoons in newspapers viz-a-viz its readership by respondents, highlighting the trends and patterns in its readership pattern from various newspapers in Nigeria. Therefore, the significance of this study lies in the scholarship it offers, going a long way in extending the frontiers of knowledge in mass communication research. Finally the study will be of great assistance to the existing literature and other researchers that wish to carry out similar research on the above topic.

1.7 SCOPE OF STUDY

The Study of cartoons in some selected Nigeria newspapers and audience reading strategy will cover three (3) newspapers which are punch newspaper, vanguard newspaper, and sun newspapers

1.8 LIMITATION OF STUDY

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

CARTOONS: a simple drawing showing the features of its subjects in a humorously exaggerated way, especially a satirical one in a newspaper or magazine

DEMOCRACY: a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.