CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1  Background to the study

Soap opera is considered as a viable medium of entertainment, especially within the family and social circle. It is regarded as a means of communicating various societal values and norms. Brown (1994:173) refers to the entertainment that soap opera offers as active and re-active pleasure; referring to the fact that soap opera possesses inherent action and corresponding reaction from viewers. To a large extent, soap opera goes beyond mere entertainment to its teeming viewers, but it also influences the society, especially the youths (Edet, 2017:1).

Soap opera touches on various aspects of human endeavours such politics, ethnicity, religion, economy, among others. Every moving image viewed on screen conveys a meaning that is to be deciphered by the audience. As part of mass communication, it involves the use of vision and sound (audio-visual) in transmitting and disseminating its messages. The messages can be used in educating, informing, entertaining and socializing its target audience (Eneh, 2018).

Apparently, people learn about their societies through what they watch from television, which makes soap opera relevant and more meaningful in addressing issues of social concerns. Soap Opera, if properly and ideologically structured, is viewed as having the potentials of communicating development messages which are considered as vital aspects of drama production (Edet, 2017:1). This line of thought is exemplified in some popular soapopera serials, such as MTV Shuga Naija, Jenifa’s Diary, Tinsel, Lekki Wives, among others.

Soap operas being one of the media products have become a part and parcel of the lives of so many viewers all around the world. The popularity of this genre is ruling the television industry globally. The term ‘soap’ was gained from its association with advertising of soap products.  The history of soap opera can be traced back to the 1800s when novels such as Dickens appeared in newspapers in serial formats (Anitha, 2014).

According to Eneh, (2018), there has been concerns on how media has influencedthe society through communication of messages and the influences of those messages on the audience.

O’Rork (2006) and Wogu (2008) argue that audiences are more likely to emulate models of behaviour 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”. (O’Rork, 2006:72)

Analyses on media influence continue to show that the media have influence on the lifestyle of audience (Uwakwe, 2010; Okeoma, 2012).

Okunna opines that because of their special power to affect the way people think, feel and behave, the mass media have been credited with incredible persuasive ability to change attitude and behaviour. Therefore, this media influence could be in the area of language and behaviour response.

Ogunmilade (1980), Ezeokoli (1984) have argued in favour of soap opera as a veritable media instrument of achieving social development. They contend that drama does not only set out to entertain or amuse but is also replete with developmental functions. Every work of drama has positive intention, a purpose or message, no matter how it is being coated.

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