Children’s Consumption and Perceptions of Ghanaian Folktales in the Media.

Abstract

Children love folktales and care less about the origin of the stories so long as they meet certain gratifications. It is not known where folktales originated from but there is no known culture in the world where there is none. The abundance of folktales from different cultures creates competition for the attention of children. This is partly because globalization, migration and technology have facilitated the spread of folktales around the world. Apart from providing entertainment, folktales transmit cultural values, traditions and norms, as well as moral lessons. This ensures the sustenance of cultures and establishment of a strong sense of cultural identity among younger generations. In Africa folktales are under threat due to the influx of foreign media products, urbanization and the dwindling numbers of folktale tellers in homes, communities and schools. The proliferation of the media and technological advancements present an opportunity for Ghanaian folktales to be preserved. This study employed quantitative research methodology to gather data from Grade 5, Grade 6, Junior High School (JHS) 1 and JHS 2 students from a private school in Accra. The overarching aim of the study was to explore the media sources through which children consume Ghanaian folktales and to investigate children’s perceptions of Ghanaian folktales in the media. The findings revealed that despite the presence of folktales in broadcast media, storybooks were the most popular medium for the consumption of Ghanaian folktales. Next to storybooks, many of the children also watched Ghanaian folktales on television, but a very small fraction listened and heard on the radio. Despite the increase in online media consumption, particularly among the young in Ghana, social media and websites were not very popular sources of Ghanaian folktales. The study also found that Ghanaian folktales in the media were able to satisfy the children’s entertainment and learning gratifications, although they were displeased with the shoddy output.