THE BRTHE BROADCAST MEDIA OADCAST MEDIA

This study assessed the perception of University of Benin (UNIBEN) students on broadcast media reportage of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. The study examined students’ level of exposure to broadcast media coverage, their engagement with such content, perceived credibility and reliability of broadcast information, and the extent to which media exposure influences their awareness and understanding of the policy agenda. The study was anchored on the Agenda Setting Theory and Uses and Gratifications Theory as its theoretical framework. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and data were collected from 387 validly retrieved questionnaires administered to UNIBEN students. Findings revealed that respondents are highly exposed to broadcast media coverage of the Renewed Hope Agenda, with television and radio identified as dominant sources of information. The study further showed frequent engagement with broadcast content, indicating that students regularly consume broadcast reports on government programmes. Results also indicated that broadcast media play a significant role in shaping students’ awareness of the Renewed Hope Agenda, as a majority of respondents acknowledged that their understanding of the policy is largely influenced by broadcast media reports. However, the influence of media exposure was found to be relatively uneven across respondents, suggesting variations in access, interpretation, and reliance on alternative information sources such as social media and interpersonal communication. The study concludes that broadcast media remain a major instrument of political communication and public enlightenment among UNIBEN students. The study recommends sustained and structured coverage of government programmes by broadcast media, strengthened collaboration between government communication units and media organisations, simplified presentation of policy information, and the introduction of media literacy programmes in universities to enhance critical understanding of broadcast content.