Channels Television’s Politics Today Programme and Women’s Political Engagement in Kogi State, Nigeria
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Abstract
Women’s political engagement in Nigeria has always been an issue of debate over the years. This is why the mass media, particularly television, has been at the forefront in engendering women’s political engagement, including the right to vote and be voted for. This study was aimed at ascertaining the level of exposure, influence, and political engagement resulting from exposure to Politics Today. It also examined how the programme has influenced women’s involvement in politics and the factors affecting that influence. Cultivation theory was used to provide a framework for understanding how women actively seek and use media content to satisfy specific political information needs and how such content motivates participation. A survey research design was adopted for this study, with a sample of 384 respondents drawn from the female population of Kogi State. Multistage sampling was employed in selecting respondents from the three senatorial districts. A structured questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection, and the data collected were analysed using tables and percentages for demographic data, as well as mean averages with standard deviations. Findings from the study revealed a high level of exposure to Politics Today among women in Kogi State, while the programme has positively influenced women’s political knowledge and interests. It was therefore recommended that television stations should produce more gender-inclusive political programmes and that policymakers should collaborate with the media to encourage women’s political participation across Nigeria.
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