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CHAPTER ONE 1.0    INTRODUCTION 1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY The term mass media according to McQuail [2000] is shortened to describe a means of communication that operates on a large scale reaching and involving virtually everyone in a society to a greater or lesser degree. Media is plural of medium which means a channel or vehicle through which something is transmitted. In other words, mass media are channels of communication in a modern society, primarily the print and the electronic media. MCQuail further describes the mass media as the organized many receivers within a short space of time. The mass media are impersonal communication sources that reach large audiences. The primary function of the mass media system is to provide information to several millions of people. The mass media are extremely influential. Each of the media is presumed tom affect perceptions and behaviour in a distinctive way. They can affect the society and vice versa. The mass media are the uniquely moder

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY Human development history has shown that sustainable development and self-sustaining progress of any country has generally followed the development and applications of science and technology (S&T), controlled by and responsive to the needs and endowment of a country (Adeniyi, 1999). Many developed countries of the world today achieved their level of development through the adaptation of technology and development of an efficient S&T capacity. There is no doubt that the importance of S&T to national development has been recognized by nations who currently are in the forefront of human development index. Consequently, human and national sustainable development are determined largely by the level of indigenous and endogenous scientific and technological research, the communication of research results and on the knowledge acquired and brought to bear on policy making, programme formulation, project implementation, monitori