By Uzodinma, Ifeyinwa B.
Globally, television is a veritable tool for mass information, education entertainment and mobilization. Television services are important to any nation for the dissemination of information to the general public. It is a vital tool for the galvanizing and synergizing of the very fabric of any community, state or nation. In Nigeria, the importance of television services to the nation for information dissemination, for mass mobilization to a common cause, for national development, for advancement of her nascent democracy cannot be over emphasized. The research covered the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Enugu Network Centre, the Enugu State Broadcasting Services (ESBS) and the African Independent Television (AIT), Enugu. The research determined and established the role of public relations in marketing television services in South East, Nigeria, where these stations are domiciled. This is a survey method of research, which has made use of primary and secondary data. The sample size is 195. The major findings in this research work are that: Public Relations plays significant roles in marketing Television Services; that NTA, ESBS, and AIT, apply Public Relations Strategies in marketing their services; that Public Relations has made very great impact in the marketing of Television Services; that inadequate funding, ignorance on the part of the organization, and lack of interest on the part of the organization are sometimes factors constraining the application of Public Relations in the marketing of Television Services. In conclusion, it is very pertinent that Public Relations is applied in every facet of life, programmes, and activities, within the private and public sectors of the economy; at home, in our personal lives, if our desired goal(s) and objective(s) are to be actualized. It is therefore, recommended that, in applying Public Relations in any of life’s endeavours, the applicant must effectively, adequately and carefully plan, organize, implement, monitor and control the right Public Relations Strategies achieve the desired result(s). Again, competent professionals who in themselves are Public Relations Experts and members of the NIPR, should be assigned the responsibility of handling all Public Relations activities and programmes. Finally, the management of NTA, ESBS, and AIT, should develop and exercise keener interest in Public Relations and its practice, as well as provide adequate funding, if they must grow, excel and remain sustained and relevant in the market place.