Odenike, Timothy Omolaso, Gbadamosi Hameed Oyelaja & Jonathan Mary Bukola

Broadcast programming is management function of addressing the need of the society. This means that, the information need of the audience is expected to be embedded in the objectives of every programme in broadcast media. Therefore, broadcast stations especially television stations generate programme contents and scheduled them based on the information need of the audience as reflected in the programme objectives. Hence, this paper seeks to examine audience perception of “Good Morning Nigeria” on the Nigeria Television Authority (News 24) and “Sunrise Daily” on Channels Television Programmes. The two programmes under study are current affairs magazine programmes which are scheduled for 7am to 9am Monday to Saturday every week. It is imperative to examine the objectives of these programmes in relations to the information needs of the audience, identify and assess audiences’ perceptions of the programmes, examine issues discussed in the programmes and the extent of coverage. Uses and Gratifications theory was reviewed to examine the theoretical framework of the study. The survey method was adopted using questionnaire and Key Informant interview (KII) as the instruments. Presentation and the analysis of data elicited from both instruments were descriptively analysed using frequency table and simple percent for questionnaire and direct quotation approach for interview. The Proportional stratified and Purposive sampling techniques were used to select sample of 253 from the population of 690. Findings revealed that, Channels Television and Nigerian Television Authority (NTA News 24) to a large extent, they have fulfilled the directive of National Broadcasting Commission on its Code on Straight Dealing which states that the objectives of broadcasting in Nigeria are designed to further the goals of democracy and socio-economic development. It was recommended that producers of television programmes should endeavour to obey the principle of “Straight Dealing” as shrined in the Nigeria Broadcasting Code to get audiences familiar with objectives of the programme they are watching; managers, producers and presenters should endeavour to do more of audience research to understand the information need of the audience per time; they should endeavour to research into programme topics that will meet the information need of the audience in the areas of human interest, community and national development and so on Keywords: Audience, Perception, Programme, Television, Programming  0150