ETCHIE NAOMI ORITSEYIMOFE

The study examined the role of Independent Television (ITV) and Edo Broadcasting Service (EBS) in promoting civic education and community development among residents of Benin City. The objectives of the study, were to examine the extent to which Independent Television and Edo Broadcasting Service provide content that promotes civic education among residents of Benin City, assess the perception of Benin City residents regarding the effectiveness of ITV and EBS in enhancing their knowledge of civic duties, governance, and community development initiatives, compare the contributions of a private broadcast station and a state-owned station in promoting civic awareness and community engagement, and identify challenges faced by ITV and EBS in fulfilling their social responsibility mandate. The study was anchored on the Social Responsibility Theory, Agenda-Setting Theory, and Development Media Theory. The researcher adopted a survey research design, with data collected from 400 sampled residents of Benin City, drawn through stratified sampling across seven local government areas, using a structured questionnaire as the research instrument. Findings from the study revealed that ITV provides more consistent civic education content than EBS, with residents frequently encountering civic-related programmes on the station. Secondly, the study discovered that residents perceive ITV as more effective in improving their understanding of civic duties such as voting and civic participation, while EBS is perceived as more effective in improving knowledge of governance and public policies. Thirdly, the findings showed that ITV contributes more strongly to civic awareness and audience engagement, while EBS provides more detailed coverage of community development programmes, indicating that both stations possess distinct but complementary strengths. The study also found that inadequate funding and political influence remain major challenges limiting both stations’ ability to fulfil their social responsibility mandate, among others. Based on the findings, it is concluded that television broadcasting remains an important tool for civic education and community development in Benin City, and that sustained investment, editorial independence, and improved programming are needed for ITV and EBS to maximise their contributions. This study recommended that, both stations should increase the frequency and consistency of civic education programmes and combine them with interactive communication strategies such as phone-in sessions and public forums. ITV should improve its coverage of governance-related issues while EBS improves its programme appeal, and both stations should strengthen credibility and public trust through balanced, independent reporting that keeps civic content focused on public interest rather than political interests.