Influence of Western Television Programmes on the Social Values of Youths in Benue State

This study investigates the Influence of Western Television Programmes on the Social values of Youths in Benue State with emphasis on youth in Makurdi LGA. The study was anchored on Bandura’s observational learning theory which state that individuals imitate behaviours they consider rewarding or socially valued. Survey research design was adopted with questionnaire as instrument for data collection. The study revealed that Western television programmes exert influence on the social values, cultural practices, and behavioural orientations of youths in Benue State. The results indicate that youths are exposed to diverse genres of Western programmes, including news, sports, movies, music, and religious content, with 26.9% reporting multiple forms of exposure. This study concludes that Western television programmes have a strong and multifaceted influence on the social values of youths in Benue State. The high level of exposure to Western media content has resulted in significant behavioral and cultural changes among young people. While Western programmes offer some positive impacts—such as increased creativity, technological awareness, and educational benefits—the overall influence is largely negative, contributing to the erosion of indigenous cultural values, promotion of foreign lifestyles, and increasing feelings of cultural inferiority. The study recommended among other things that government agencies and private media organizations should invest heavily in producing attractive, innovative, and culturally rich indigenous television programmes. Nollywood, local entertainment industries, and cultural storytellers should be supported through grants, training, and sponsorship initiatives to compete favorably with Western content.