PERCEPTION OF (NTA) TELEVISION REPORTAGE ON FEMALE POLITICAL ASPIRANTS

ABSTRACT This study looks at audience perception of television reportage of female political aspirants, using NTA Ilorin as a case study. The study examined the Concept of Politics, Democracy, Elections and Gender, Political Participation, Women and Politics among others. Moreover, the study used the Cultivation and Status-Conferral Theories as justification, while survey method was employed to select respondents for the study. Findings showed that NTA Ilorin did not give adequate coverage ad awareness to female political aspirants compared to their male counterparts, as the female aspirants are portrayed as less vibrant and weak. Also, it was discovered that audience frequency of watching political programmes is low. Based on these findings, it was recommended that the mass media, NTA Ilorin and other television stations should give female political aspirants enough coverage just as their male colleagues, while encouraging the audience to watch political programmes as part of their social responsibility functions.