Paper Title
Educational Broadcasting and Local Languages in South East Nigeria: The Effectiveness in Safeguarding the Endangered Igbo Language

Abstract
The broadcast media use local languages in presenting some programmes in South East Nigeria yet; the level of usage of some of these languages by indigenes or inhabitants of the regions where these languages are spoken especially the Igbo language remains grossly low. Worrisome also is the fact that United Nations Education Social and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) have enlisted the Igbo language as one of the Nigerian languages that is endangered. This study examines the use of educational broadcasting as a virile tool in safeguarding and developing the Igbo indigenous languages in South East Nigeria. Three objectives will guide this study, they include: determine the extent to which the broadcast media programmes on local languages have contributed in the awareness level of endangered languages in southeast states Nigeria.; find out if there are broadcast media programmes that educate the audience on how to speak and write the Igbo Language; and ascertain other factors responsible for the poor usage of Igbo language in south east Nigeria. Survey research method will be used with questionnaire and oral interview as the major instrument for data collection. Two theories will be used for the study; the development media and the Agenda setting theories. Enugu Metropolis in South East Nigeria will be used as the case study. Enugu metropolis is made up of three local government areas (LGA), these LGAs will be stratified according to the geographic placement of the local government with each local government serving as strata. The stratification is necessary because of the level of urbanization of the local governments which differs from one local government to the other. Data generated will be analyzed using simple percentages and frequency distribution tables. Chi- square will be used to test the hypothesis. Key words - Educational, broadcasting, challenges, indigenous, Igbo, endangered and languages.