Evaluation of Entertainment Television and Its Influence on Youth Behaviour in Adamawa State

This study evaluates the consumption of entertainment television and its influence on the attitudes and behaviour of young people in Adamawa State, North East Nigeria. Entertainment media including drama series, reality television, and Nigerian and foreign film content shapes sociocultural values, aspirational identities, and behaviour norms among youth, with potentially significant consequences in a region experiencing rapid social change. This study uses a survey design, collecting data from 300 secondary and post-secondary students in Yola North, Girei, and Jimeta through structured questionnaires. Television consumption patterns, preferred genres, content sources (cable, free-to-air, streaming), and self-reported attitude and behaviour changes attributed to television exposure are assessed. Cultivation theory provides the theoretical framework. Focus group discussions with 40 students explore specific programme influences in depth. Findings reveal that young people in Adamawa spend an average of 3.6 hours daily watching television content, with Nigerian drama series and reality shows dominating preferences. Exposure to wealth portrayal in popular programmes is strongly associated with materialistic aspiration and expressed dissatisfaction with family economic status. Romance and relationship content from foreign programmes is associated with more liberal attitudes toward dating norms in contrast to local conservative values. Positive influences including educational content and female empowerment narratives in selected programmes are also documented. The study concludes that entertainment television exerts significant cultural influence on Adamawa youth, with both positive and negative dimensions. It recommends locally produced, culturally contextualised entertainment content as an alternative to foreign cultural dominance.

Keywords: entertainment television, youth behaviour, cultivation theory, Adamawa State, media influence.