Abstract:

This study examined the channels of communication used by residents of Port Harcourt to receive messages on the ‘soot’ menace. The main objective of the study was to examine the communication channels through which Port Harcourt residents received messages on the soot menace. The study was anchored on the uses and gratifications theory. The research design used in the study was the descriptive survey method.  The study population comprised 814,348 residents of Port Harcourt City. The sample size of the study was 384 using Raosoft online sample size calculator. The study adopted the multi-stage cluster sampling technique and questionnaire was used to elicit information from the respondents. Data were categorized and presented in frequency distribution tables, and were analysed using simple percentage. Findings of the study showed that Port Harcourt residents received messages that spread awareness to curb the ‘soot’ menace from the radio and Facebook and at a high extent, while messages from television, newspaper and Twitter were at a low extent. The study recommended among others that the media, government and non-government organisations should improve on their communication strategies while disseminating messages on health and environmental matters to the public so as to increase the communication effectiveness.