Role of media both print and radio in “A Man of the People”

Role of media both print and radio in “A Man of the People”
In A Man of the People Chief Nanga, is referred to by the narrator Odili, as a man of the people, and the most approachable politician in the West Africa. Role of media should be stand as an intermediately between the government and the common people but it is ported by Achebe as an evil side of media in A Man of the People. We know each media vehicle has a significance role to play. If print generates awareness and disseminates information, radio is a vehicle to build the brand with its emotional appeal. But what we see in A Man of the People? We see media is a representative of government or we can say media are the mouth speech of government of West Africa in A Man of the people. They have no connection with common people even with the opposition. In A Man of the People we observed two kinds of media; they are the mouth speech of government. Print media, like The Daily Chronicle is an official organ of the P.O.P (People’s Organization Party) and the broadcasts media like African national radio stations main job is broadcasted government’s speech.

Print media plays very significant role in the novel A Man of the People. Achebe casts a critical eye on African politics and as well as media. Achebe shows the switching of power between the old and new styles of politicians and how the old bush politician, Chief Nanga, is becoming more and greedier as he learns the political system. He is the one of the Member of Parliament. The government is more powerful and corrupted and they know how to handle general people. They use media as a representative of government. It is really happened in third world country. All media are bound to government because government has power. Any time they can close media house. It is the big threat for media. Some time government is the big investiture for circulation or broadcasting. That is why, they are bound to make fake news that increase government image. For example, “The Daily Chronicle, an official organ of the P.O.P had pointed out in an editional that the Miscreant Gang, as the dismissed ministers were now called, were all university people and highly educated professional men.” News papers are not independent at West Africa. News paper are carried the prime Minister or Government version of the story. They can it easily because of the common men are far away from the “intellectual!” Dr Makinde the ex- Minister of Finance as he got up to speak tell, calm, sorrowful and superior. It was a most unedifying spectacle. He is called “Traitor”, “Coward”, and “Doctor of Fork your Mother” by common people. But the next morning the editor of the Daily Chronicle published news that was opposite of Dr. Makinde’s speech. Is says “a brilliant economist whose reputation was universally acclaimed in Europe”. The Daily Matchet also play same role. Another thing is important that media are not only representative of Government but also underestimate the oppositions. They have no social responsibility. They do not think about common people even they have no relation with them because of uneducated and unawareness society. It is really happening in Africa as well as third world country. Media have no role for repetitive society. They can not write down a single word without government’s authorization.

Radio also the mouth speaker of government in A Man of the People. Radio is censored by the government. It can not any play any role independently. It is far away from the common people. The government does not want the common people know true information. We know as a human being it is right to know all true information. But the real picture is totally opposite. Radio’s have no connection with common people. Oppositions are threatened by the radio but most of the time they represent there is no opposition only the government. For example Nanga says that only the powerful party is P.O.P. The government does not want the common people to hare information regarding the pipes. Hezekiah Samaluis a chairman of P.O.P. Many pipes are approved by P.O.P for a villager. It is forecasted by radio. On the other hand, when Samalu distributes it two other villages for his anti parties activities. This news does not forecast through radio because of the image of P.O.P. One day Odili is listening radio for news but he is not able to hare any news without govern activities. It is controlled by P.O.P

Everyone knows information is a form of power. The Third World countries now know this more than ever. That is why they are calling for the establishment of a new international order of information. They feel this is just as urgent as the establishment of a new international economic order. In A Man of the People we see media is like a doll of government that has no existent without other. They have no activities without government. They are bound to government because of existing.