CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the study
Home video is one of the strongest media outlets and because it is widespread, it could influence the culture of the any society, especially among the younger generation. The home video business distributes films, telemovies and television series in the form of videos in various formats to the public. These are bought or rented, then watched privately from the comfort of the home by consumers. Most theatrically released films are now released on digital media, both optical (DVD or Blu-ray) and download-based, replacing the largely obsolete VHS (Video Home System) medium. The VCD format remains popular in Asia, though DVDs are gradually gaining popularity.
Movies hold a very special place in the culture of a people. “Movies, like books, are a culturally special medium…an important medium of cultural transmission (Baran, 2009:75). Studies show that movies contribute to socialization and the transmission of culture (Baran, 2009; Daramola, 2007). In contribution, Aldana (2004:1) submits that: “movies are powerful instrument that can build or destroy a people’s culture due to its conversational nature. It also plays a role in the daily lives of men and women in the way they perceive and conceived themselves and in the way they conduct their own lives”
In Nigeria there are over one million audiences of home movies films who are affected in one way or the other, by the subjects treated in Nigerian home movies. These movies portray message that have Influence on the viewers, mostly, their mode of dressing. Movies hold a very special place in the culture of a people.
In Nigeria there are over one million audiences of home movies films who are affected in one way or the other, by the subjects treated in Nigerian home movies. These movies portray message that have Influence on the viewers, mostly, their mode of dressing. Movies hold a very special place in the culture of a people. O’Rork (2006) and Wogu (2008) argue that audiences are more likely to emulate models of behavior seen on the media if they expect to receive gratification from emulating another person. Behaviour is influenced not only by personal or live models but by those presented in the mass media”. Okunna, (1999) opines that because of their special power to affect the way people think, feel and behave, this is because media have been credited with incredible persuasive ability to change attitude and behaviour and that of tertiary institution student will not be any different since they are constantly exposed to watching of home videos.
Statement of the problem
Home video industry otherwise know as Nollywood commands a large active audience and it is almost part and parcel of every Nigerian society. The impact of home video on culture, religion and moral behaviour of university student has generated a lot of concern and uneasiness to many Nigerians. According to Okeoma (2012), many adolescent and youths in tertiary institution glued their eyes on the television watching movies of all kinds. Some movies that are may adversely affect their emotion, psychic, moral behaviour and cognitive development. The prevalence of immoral behaviour among youths has been linked with the types of programmes, movies they view.
Recent research has shown that high rate of crimes in Nigerian institution and society at large could be related to influences of bad movies or videos they watch. For instance, Ezekwu, (2013) opined that the display of pornographic films or shown during most the Nigerian movies has affected many youths and exposed them to all forms of sexual harassment like practice of homosexuality, incest to mention but a few. Practices like adultery, witch craft and ritual practices are glamorously shown; and most of the young people do not border about the end of the practice which is usually shown at the end of the movies. Marriages and family breakdown is being trivialized. Much fear looms in the area of traditional values and culture of Nigerian nation; even though some claims that it is merely for entertainment and as such does not raise any pertinent moral questions. The truth and reality of the video industry confronts us with a situation which demands immediate response;Thus necessitating the need for the study on the influence of home videos on the social life of Abia State university students.