UNORTHODOX SEXUALITY THEMES OF SOME CHILDREN’S TELEVISION CARTOONS AND THE AFRICAN CULTURE

Same-sex relationships are now lawful in Western countries, while it remains a taboo and a crime in Africa. Whereas studies have established television as a powerful agent of cultural diffusion, Africa now receives 24-hour broadcasts of same-sex television contents from the West, including children’s television cartoons. Therefore, this study investigated the perception and implication of that trend in Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, and Cartoon Network satellite television channels amongst the numerous channels available. Cultivation and agenda-setting theories constitute theoretical framework, while the study adopted descriptive survey and questionnaire as research method and instrument respectively. From a population of study comprising adults having parental or guardianship control over underage children in Lagos, the study drew 200 respondents. Findings revealed that respondents perceived introduction of unorthodox sexuality themes in children’s cartoons as detrimental to the development of children and culture in Nigeria. The study recommended that government should increase efforts in monitoring and regulating television contents produced and accessible to children in Nigeria.