ABSTRACT

This research work focuses on the audience perception of Delta Broadcasting Stations lunch break program, as a tool for public relaxation: A study of Asaba viewing audience. The study objectives were to determine the lunch break programme viewership in Asaba metropolis; find out the rate of audience participation; understand how these programmes were perceived by Asaba viewing audience as a tool for relaxation and to find out if there were themes that were said to be lacking. The theories that were adopted for this research were the cultivation theory which posits that prolonged exposure to the media can shape individuals perception of reality and the Reception theory, which emphasizes the active role of audiences in interpreting and making meaning from media content. The population of the study consisted of men and women aged 18 and above who are reside in Asaba who consume DBS entertainment contents. The sample size was purposively drawn from two local government areas; Oshimili south and North, thus a total of 382 respondents were selected. The findings indicated that the lunch break programme served as a tool for public relaxation but had some program contents that were lacking. Based on the study's findings, several recommendations were made, which were that DBS should adopt more contents that would be perceived as a tool for relaxation and expand the reach of the Lunch Break Program across the states in Nigeria.