Greening the broadcast media: Insights from public and private television stations in Nigeria

The issue of safety is critical in the sustenance of any entity or organization, including broadcast establishments. Both technical and creative personnel are constantly using machines or electric power-driven devices in electronic media stations in Nigeria and elsewhere. The engineers, broadcasters and other professionals in television stations are continually exposed to radiation from the equipment they use in the broadcast of messages but the impact of such exposure has hardly been considered in the Nigerian media ecosystem. Anchored in the Diffusion of Innovations Theory (DIT) by Everett Rogers, the researchers used both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to examine the issue using the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Benin City as public broadcast media and Independent Television (ITV), Benin City as the private television outfit. The study showed that most television managers do not give critical attention to craft care collaboration (3Cs) in their media houses. This is likely because of the low level of awareness of the dangers or hazards associated with working in such a broadcast environment. It was found that there are variations in safety practices among broadcast media workers in Nigeria, with some departments prioritizing safety while others do not give it much attention. The challenges identified include inadequate resources and equipment, time pressures leading to shortcuts in safety measures, and a general lack of safety culture in the industry. To address the variations in safety practices and overcome the challenges identified, it is recommended, among other things, that both public and private television stations in Nigeria prioritize personnel safety as a core aspect of their operations. This can be achieved by providing adequate resources and equipment, establishing a safety culture and addressing time pressures.