Prospects and Challenges of Campus Radio,the Student's Perspectives of Udus Campus Radio

ABSTRACT.
Campus broadcasting is a form of community broadcasting that aims to reach a limited audience within a defined environment, often referred to as the campus community. Campus radio stations are typically operated as training platforms where student journalists acquire practical experience in broadcasting. This study investigates how campus radio enhances journalistic practice and enthusiasm in broadcast journalism, as well as the prospects and challenges of campus radio in Nigeria, using UDUS Campus Radio FM as a case study.

The study was anchored on the Journalism Education Model and the Engagement Model. The Journalism Education Model, developed by the Poynter Institute, emphasizes developing the skills, knowledge, and values necessary for effective journalism practice. The Engagement Model, on the other hand, suggests that students’ engagement is influenced by academic challenges, social interaction, and personal relevance—factors that determine how individuals interact with media content and the extent of their attentiveness to its messages.

A survey research method was employed, and a well-structured questionnaire was administered to 352 respondents, alongside focus group discussions among Mass Communication students. Data collected were presented using frequency tables for clarity and proper analysis. The findings revealed, among other things, that a majority of the students (90.9%) believed the campus radio station improved journalistic practices. The study concludes that campus radio faces major challenges such as lack of funding (60.5%), poor management (20.1%), inadequate training (8.2%), insufficient staff (6.5%), lack of power supply (2.5%), and inadequate programs (1.9%).

The study recommends, among other things, that opportunities should be given to students from other departments who are willing and capable of presenting programs, and that the university management should build strong synergy between UDUS Campus Radio and other public or private broadcast stations to enhance knowledge transfer and professional development in radio programming and broadcasting.