Author(s): Modu Alhaji Bukar* and Mai Dunoma Zannah
This study is to compare the management style of NTA zonal centre Maiduguri and Radio Nigeria Peace FM Maiduguri. However, in order to set a stage
for such comparative study, there are an indispensable need to look at concepts related to media management. The study adopted administrative theory of
management as a guide. Survey method was adopted four people were interview. The findings shows that both the NTA Maiduguri and peace FM Maiduguri
are using directed form of media management style and they are facing different sorts of challenges. The study concludes that the both the NTA and the
peace FM shared the same form of media management and differed in some area of activities. The study recommends that, both organisation should give
greater focus and emphasis on the general welfare of the staffs. Both NTA and peace FM Maiduguri stations should ensure that their programmes and
activities are initiated and implemented for the success of the organisations.
Management in business and organizations means to coordinate the efforts of people to accomplish goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively. Management comprises planning, organizing, staffing, leading or directing, and controlling an organization or initiative to accomplish a goal. Resourcing encompasses the deployment and manipulation of human resources, financial resources, technological resources, and natural resources. Management is a common activity in the human society. Virtually everyone practices management on daily basis either consciously or inadvertently. From the basic individual and family levels, to large multi-national organisations, management takes place. In media organisations, it is even a more serious matter, because of the role the media play in the society.
When people hear the term “management” many of them quickly take their minds to the big establishments such as universities like the University of Maiduguri; huge multi-national companies like NNPC and Chevron; large commercial banks such as First Bank of Nigeria Plc., or the United Bank for Africa, big media organisations like Nigeria Television Authority and Africa Independent Television, among others. Be that as it may, the fact remains that virtually everyone engages in management on daily basis knowingly or unknowingly. For instance, a student who receives his up-keep allowances every semester consisting of three to four months practices management. This is because each time his allowances come; he evaluates his present needs and makes plans for the next three to four months. His plans may include food, books, stationery, toiletries, wears, transport, etc. At the end, he makes personal assessment to see whether or not he overspent the amount he planned. Also, a civil servant who receives his monthly salary and plans on how to spend it in order to sustain him and his family till he receives another is directly or indirectly practicing management.
Therefore, applying the same principle to media, defined media management as a process coordinating, planning, assessment of responsibilities, attainment of goals and objectives, ensuring team work and synergy, working through people and by and ensuring the implementation and evaluating the mission and vision of various media organisation. In his classic, Modern Media Management defines Media management as the process of coordinating and harnessing resources in the gathering, processing and disseminating information to the public [1,2]. Nigerian television authority (NTA) Maiduguri zonal network centre is situated in the state capital of Borno state. It has been known as a star of the desert. The station begun operation on 15 January, 19977 as a relay transmitting station purposely to relay events of FESTAC 77 to view in Borno state.
The station been a zonal network centre is headed by director who is directly responsible for day to day running of the station and also answerable to the director general of NTA headquarter Abuja. While Radio Nigeria peace FM (FRCN) Maiduguri is one of the 32 FM stations established by the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) spread across the country. The aim of establishing the community based digital frequency modulated FM station in Maiduguri is to give access information to millions of voiceless of Borno state. Today peace FM Maiduguri is one among the best station in the country.
Meanwhile, before make an attempt to the further study let’s conceptualised the following terms in order to avoid the mistakes of overgeneralization or misrepresentation: management, media, and media management.
In the words of management is to use men and materials to achieve organizational goals and objectives. Management is the manipulation of resources to achieve predetermined objectives. In the context of this study management is a process or a series of activities performed in order to achieve a predetermined goal [2,3].
Wilbur Schramm a mass medium is essentially a working group organized around some device for circulating the same message, at about same time, to a large number of people. In the context of this paper media is a process of sending information, ideas, opinion and symbol through technical devices to large and heterogeneous audience via medium of mass communication such as newspaper, radio, magazine, television, internet among others.
Is the process of coordinating and harnessing resources in the gathering, processing and disseminating information to the public?
Nigerian television authority Maiduguri network centre broadcast station.
Radio Nigeria FRCN Maiduguri radio station.
Most often, people’s idea or written works influences other people’s work or study directly or indirectly about the same subjects. The essence of this chapter is to review and highlight previously but related documented materials of various authors which concern the present study. This chapter covers the discussions on media management, types, functions, characteristics, purpose, and theories of media management that relevant to both organisations under study.
Essentially, the researcher in this section will discuss the relevant existing knowledge, theories, and then relate them to the study at hand.
The concept management is derived from the word “manage” the management has both the literal and technical meaning. To manage is to forecast and plan; to organise, to command, to coordinate and to control. Several scholars and different school of thought have provide a framework for the understanding of management for the benefit of organizational development. Management is a process of planning organising, directing and controlling available resources of an organisation in order to achieve the set goals of the organisation [4,5].
Management is the process of working with and through others to achieve environment Management is the manipulation of resources to achieve predetermined objectives [2].
Moss (1993) defined management as a process of enhancing the reputation of organisation. It is uses to repositioning the reputation of the organization and it making the organization as a mirror through which the various public view the organization and vice- vasa.
Management is the process of utilising organisational resources to achieve specific objectives through the functions of planning, organising, leading and controlling [7].
Stated the major types of management include conventional management, systematic management and scientific management. We shall now briefly explain these management types [8].
This is management by trial and error. It is intuitive and unsystematic. This type of management depends wholly on the use of human skills and imaginations in planning and executing organisational goals. It tends to be subjective, non-statistical, emotional, common-sense and behavioural. Although many organisational problems may be solved with this method, it is time consuming.
This is otherwise called historical or initiative management. It means doing something because it has always been done that way.
This is the use of scientific principles and techniques in managing organisational activities. It is statistical, empirical, analytical, researchable and quantifiable. This type of management is data- based. It identifies problems and objectives, assembles and analyses all need factors to solve the problem and draws logical conclusion at the end. It was first experimented in 1885 by Fredrick Taylor who later became known as the father of scientific management.
Stated three (3) types of media management styles. These are [3]
This is a form of management whereby instructions and directives been given from top to bottom. Instruction come from the head, directors, managers, and must comply. The advantages of this style is that:
This is a style where representative are nominated, elected, appointed or selected to represent the interest of the workforce of an organisation. The advantages of this style are:
One of the disadvantage of this style is that, it delay decisionmaking.
This is a form of management where everybody participate for the achievement of the organisation. In this style everybody is a stakeholder. The advantages of this style are:
Several experts have made attempts at classifying management functions. One of the earliest scholars to do so was Henri Fayol. According to him, “to manage is to forecast and plan, to organise, to command and to control.” However, it was Lather Gullick that gave the acronym ‘POSDCORB’ which is commonly used today for easy remembrance of the general functions of management. According to him, P stands for Planning, O for Organising, S for Staffing, D for Directing and Co for Coordinating, while R stands for Reporting and B for Budgeting.
Meanwhile, the most generally accepted definition of the functions of management was given to them, management performs the following functions: Planning, Organising, Staffing, Directing, and Controlling [9]. Management writers who support Koontz and O’Donnel, argue that every other management functions can easily be fitted into the five given by Koontz and O’Donnel. For our purpose in this unit, we shall adopt the five functions of management as given by Koontz and O’Donnel and shall now proceed to explain each of them.
This is commonly referred to as the basic management function. It has to do with the preparation for the future operations of a business activity. It precedes every other management function. See planning as “deciding in advance what to do, how to do it, when to do it, and who is to do it; it bridges the gap from where we are and where we want to be.” Simply put, a plan is a future course of actions. It is determination of course of action to achieve desired goals. With proper planning, managers minimise confusions, risks, wastages and poor performance.
Organising may be considered as preparation for putting plans into action. It is the process of bringing together both physical, financial and human resources and developing productive relationship amongst them for the purpose of attaining organisational goals and objectives. Cites Henri Fayol as saying that “to organise a business is to provide it with everything useful for its functioning (i.e. raw material, tools, capital and personnel)” [5].
This has to do with the function of manning an organisation and keeping it manned. The main purpose is to put the right person on the right job at the right time. It entails searching, selecting, recruiting, replacing, training and developing of staff. It also includes remunerations, performance appraisal, promoting, transferring and retiring of staff.
This is the interpersonal aspect of management which has to do with influencing, guiding, supervising, instructing and motivating subordinates for the purpose of achieving organisational goals. For a manager to direct well, he/she must ensure that subordinates understand clearly what they are expected to do in each situation. This implies that management must give precise orders and specify clearly how and when, who should do what.
This refers to measurement of current performance and correction of deviations (if any) to ensure achievement of organisational goals.
There are several reasons for media management [2]. Identifies some of them to include:
Identified ten (10) media managers perform certain key duties in media organisations [8]. Some of those duties include, although not limited to:
Nigerian television authority (NTA) Maiduguri zonal network centre is situated in the state capital of Borno state. It has been known as a star of the desert. The station begun operation on 15 January, 19977 as a relay transmitting station purposely to relay events of FESTAC 77 to view in Borno state.
The station been a zonal network centre is headed by director who is directly responsible for day to day running of the station and also answerable to the director general of NTA headquarter Abuja.
There are different departments under the NTA Maiduguri zonal network centre, all headed by their various assistant directors. These are:
This department deal with employment, promotion, discipline and training of staffs.
They are dealing with payment of workers salary, maintenance and other organisation’s expenses.
They are responsible for marketing airtime. They are producing jungles, advert, and other related marketing services.
This department deal with the production of programmes for airing.
They responsible for maintenance of generator and machineries in the organisation.
This department are responsible for transmission processes.
This department is the nerve centre of the organisation. Where the department is saddle with responsibility of collecting, gathering, writing, editing and reporting news stories.
Below is the organisational chart of the NTA zonal centre Maiduguri, which headed by the zonal director.
Radio Nigeria peace FM (FRCN) Maiduguri is one of the 32 FM stations established by the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) spread across the country.
The aim of establishing the community based digital frequency modulated FM station in Maiduguri is to give access information to millions of voiceless of Borno state. Today peace FM Maiduguri is one among the best station in the country. The station not only covers the entire 27 local government but also some part of Adamawa, Bauchi, Taraba, Jigawa and Gombe states.
The station headed by a General Manager who is the chief executive of the organisation. There are six (6) departments in the station. These include:
This department deal with sourcing news, processing the news, rehearsal of the news and presentation of news.
The department has to do with programmes production and presentation. The programme such as Sun Rise, Children’s Time, Arogashiptuwo, Mata Iyayen Gida, Youth Forum, women in peace, Talk Your Own among others.
They are dealing with maintenance of equipment of the organisation.
They are responsible for transactions between the organisation and advertiser, including those buying airtime for their programme.
They are responsible for inspection and verification of the accuracy of financial records and statements.
This is also called DCA room i.e. Duty Continuity Announcer room. The DCA is a live studio where presenters work.
Below is the organisational chart of peace FM Maiduguri.
A theory is an organized systematic body of knowledge that explains natural phenomenon. Theoretical framework is a process that applies the postulations, assumptions and principles of a theory in describing and analysing of a research problem. It is also seen as describing, analysing, interpreting and predicting phenomenon and also involves associating or linking the problem of a study and also helps to give credibility to the study that is being executed by giving the research work focus and directions to enhance justification and legitimacy of study.
The study applied administrative management approach in this work. This approach sees management as the process of getting things done through people as a group instead of as an individual. The first expert in this area was a French industrialist and a management consultant. He started the functional approach to management. He was referred to as the “father of modern management.
In his book entitled Industrial and General Administration (published in 1916). Henry Fayol gave the following 14 principles of management:
The reason behind chosen this approach because both the NTA Maiduguri and peace FM Maiduguri are operating within the 14 principles of management by Henry Fayol.
This study was directed at comparing the media management of NAT Maiduguri and peace FM Maiduguri. It is pertinent for the study to indicate the steps taken in carrying out the investigation.
Area of study is simply interested in the geographical area coverage of the research effort. Based on this study, the study will cover the NTA zonal centre Maiduguri and peace FM Maiduguri [10].
Defined research design as a kind of blue print that guides the researcher in his or her investigation and analysis. It is a format which the researcher employs in order to systematically apply the scientific method in the investigation of the problems.
The study designed to deal with comparative study of media management between the NTA zonal centre Maiduguri and peace FM Maiduguri. This plan will be realized in the selection of the appropriate concepts such as hypotheses, sampling size and sampling techniques, instruments and tools of data collection, validity and reliability of the study, Techniques for data presentation and analysis.
It is necessary to emphasize that appropriate and adequate data are the fundamentals for arriving at reliable conclusion about any research. Towards this, the ability to discover the sources of data and effectively use of instrument of data collection becomes highly important. For this study, design can provide answers to the contextually modified question such as who, what, where, when, how. The answers to these questions will be provided from the primary and secondary sources of data.
Opined that the major pillar of a research work is data [10]. They defined data as facts and figures used in a research work. It is this data that differentiates research work from guess work. The data for this study will be based on both the primary data and secondary data.
Primary data will be sourced through the use of interviews.
This involves data from the related works of others already in existence which were carried out without having the present research study in mind. The secondary data for this study involves textbooks, diaries, encyclopedias, brochures, journals, internet materials, access to website is very indispensable in obtaining the data.
Defined population as the people or things that constitute the focus of a study [10]. It is the entire aggregate of cases which meet designated set of criteria described population as the entire number of people, objects, events and things that have one or more characteristics of interest to a study. It can be large or small [12].
The population of this study is made up of the staff and management of the two Broadcasting organizations in Maiduguri, Borno State which is NTA and Peace FM (FRCN) Maiduguri.
In collecting data for this study, the primary data will be sourced through personal Interview.
The data were collected through consulting some documents and interview some staffs of the both NTA and peace FM Maiduguri. A total of four (4) staffs’ interview, two from each organisation, i.e. NTA and peace FM Maiduguri.
What form of management style does NTA use in it operation?
The management style NTA Maiduguri uses is directed management style. Directives and instructions are been giving from the top cadre to the lowest cadre. And they have in house style for various departments. For example news department they have style in writing caption, courtesy and titles, foreign words, names and place, typesetting instruction, types of dictionaries they use among others.
What are the challenges does the management faces in it operation?
He said the challenges currently faces by the management are lack of motivation, logistics and technical challenges.
First Respondent from Peace fm Maiduguri was asked that What form of management style does your organisation use in it operation?
He the peace FM is using directed media management style because they are receiving directives from the top to bottom order of the organisation.
What are the challenges does the management faces in it operation?
He said the organisation is just like other organisation that would not be out of certain problems. The challenges faces the peace FM Maiduguri include: transportation and technical issues.
NTA zonal centre Maiduguri |
Peace FM Maiduguri |
1. It is a television station. 2. It has seven (7) departments. 3. It has less local programmes. 4. It has more number of staffs. 5. Up to date on online platform (face-book). 6. Cover small area in the state. 7. It headed by Zonal Director |
1. It is a radio station. 2. It has six (6) departments. 3. It has more local programmes. 4. It has less number of staffs. 5. Not up to date on online platform (face-book). 6. It cover the entire 27 local government in the state including some part of the neighbouring states. 7. Headed by General Manager
|
Source: Preambles of NTA Maiduguri and that of peace FM Maiduguri and their social media platform (face-book).
NTA zonal centre Maiduguri |
Peace FM Maiduguri |
1. It is a television station. 2. It has seven (7)departments. 3. It has less local programmes. 4. It has more number of staffs. 5. Up to date on online platform (face-book). 6. Cover small area in the state. 7. It headed by Zonal Director |
1. It is a radio station. 2. It has six (6) departments. 3. It has more local programmes. 4. It has less number of staffs. 5. Not up to date on online platform (face-book). 6. It cover the entire 27 local government in the state including some part of the neighbouring states. 7. Headed by General Manager |
Source: preambles of NTA Maiduguri and that of peace FM Maiduguri and their social media platform (face-book).
The study demonstrated that the both the NTA and the peace FM shared the same form of media management and differed in some area of activities.
Media management almost certainly will continue to grow as a research specialty in coming decades. As media consolidation continues, there will be an increased demand for a better understanding of the relationships among media management, economics, content, and society. Additionally, as the competitive environment within the media industry changes in the face of new technologies, regulations, and market conditions, the industry itself will be seeking insights into effective management practices.
The examination of the current state of media management shows that the most glaring omission in the field is in research on media organizational leadership and employee motivation. Clearly, this gap must be addressed. This area of study will be particularly important given the rapid changes overtaking the media industry and the industry’s heavy reliance on human capital in the creative processes of production. Among the critical research issues about media leadership that need to be addressed are the relationship between leadership and the ability of media companies to thrive in rapidly changing market environments; the effective management of change, creativity, innovation, and professional cultures; and the impact of media executives and their personal values on the content produced by their corporations. In particular, more attention needs to be given to understanding professional values, idiosyncrasies of talent, and people management issues like hiring and retention policies.
Based on the findings and conclusions of this study the following recommendations are made: