Broadcast Media and Political Participation: A Study of IMT Enugu Students’ Exposure to NTA Enugu Political Programmes and Voting Behaviour

Political disengagement among Nigerian youth remains a recurring concern in democratic scholarship, with broadcast media frequently cited as either a catalyst or a deterrent to youth participation in electoral processes. This study investigated the relationship between IMT Enugu students' exposure to political programmes on NTA Enugu and their voting behaviour during the 2023 general elections. The study was grounded in the Uses and Gratifications Theory, which posits that audiences actively select media content to fulfil specific cognitive, affective, and social needs. A survey research design was employed, targeting a population of 4,200 students at IMT Enugu. Using stratified random sampling, a sample of 353 respondents was selected and a structured questionnaire was administered. Findings indicated that a majority of students had moderate exposure to NTA Enugu's political programming, though this exposure did not translate significantly into heightened voting intent among first-time eligible voters. Key gratifications sought included political information and civic education, but entertainment-oriented platforms were preferred over broadcast news for political updates. The study found that perceived media credibility and programme relevance were stronger predictors of political engagement than mere exposure frequency. The study concluded that broadcast media's influence on student voting behaviour is moderated by individual gratification-seeking patterns and trust in media institutions. It was recommended that NTA Enugu redesign political programmes to be more youth-oriented, interactive, and relatable to the specific civic concerns of tertiary institution students.
Keywords: broadcast media, political participation, voting behaviour, NTA Enugu, IMT students