Why Mass Media Messages on Family Planning Fail (Or Succeed): Evidence From A Nigerian Sample

Abstract

Objectives: This study investigates why mass media campaigns on family planning succeed or fail in Nigeria.

Methodology: This work employed a survey to sample 385 respondents from a projected Nigeria population of 219 million using Australian online calculation. Considering the research objectives, a purposive sampling technique was employed to sample only married adults. An eleven-item structured questionnaire instrument was employed for data collection. Face-to-face data gathering was employed to ensure that non-verbal cues were observed.

Results: from the survey findings, mass media have failed in their family planning campaigns in Nigeria despite the high rate of awareness of family planning media messages. This awareness does not trigger the adoption of the messages as there is no correlation between the rate of exposure of married couples to family planning media campaigns and the rate of adoption of such family health-cum-population health innovation. Again, the low adoption of family planning media messages is mainly caused by personal ideologies and convictions, group dynamics and regulations, and socio-cultural and religious group influences. Mass media in Nigeria have been unable to combat these factors efficiently and, therefore, only create awareness without corresponding positive responses and adoption of family planning messages among Nigerians.

Conclusion: The success or failure of mass media in family planning campaigns goes beyond creating only awareness to combating the tripod factors: personal ideologies and convictions, group dynamics and regulations, and socio-cultural and religious influence. Mass media campaigns on family planning should be formulated with the impact of these factors in mind.