ABSTRACT
This research was conducted to assess the effectiveness of "Vbosunu," a local vox pop programme on ITV, in promoting behavioral change among its audience in Egor Local Government Area in Edo State. It became imperative to conduct this study to properly investigate and ascertain the extent to which the programme influences its audience's behaviour, perceptions, and engagement with societal issues. The study is anchored on the Agenda Setting theory and Social Cognitive theory. By applying the survey design, an eighteen - item structured questionnaire was utilised to gather data on 100 residents who were selected through the simple random technique to present and reflect the opinions of Egor residents on their familiarity, level of exposure, perception of the programme, and the ways it influences behaviour. Data generated were presented and analysed with the aid of frequency tables and simple percentage.It was discovered that residents of Egor are significantly influenced by 'Vbosunu' vox pop programme.Based on findings, "Vbosunu" programme enjoys significant familiarity and exposure among its audience, acknowledging their awareness and participation of the programme. It also reveals that the residents perceive the programme positively and find it a source of information, education and entertainment. Furthermore, in terms of behavioural change, findings showed that the programme has effectively influenced their behaviour towards various issues like political participation, civil rights and responsibility, economy and national issues, community service, environmental sustainability practice and morality. The study concludes that television vox pop programmes as a tool of mass communication cannot be downplayed in projecting behavioural change as a result of its strong influence on people.To this end, the study recommended that broadcast stations should create more local television vox pop programmes that are participatory in nature and content with the objective to inform, educate and entertain their audience and most importantly set the agenda for behavioural change, hence, stations can include diverse and compelling narratives to cater to the diverse needs and interests of the audience.
