Listenership of Selected FM Radio Stations: A Survey of Koforidua Residents

Abstract

This research was primarily designed as survey to find out what motivations informed listeners' patronage of selected FM radio stations within the Koforidua municipality. The quantitative and qualitative approaches were used in this study, which was conducted from March 11 to 20, 2004. Five (5) suburbs, within the Koforidua Municipality, namely, Betom, Srodae, Adweso Estates, Old Estates and Effiduase, were purposively selected. A structured questionnaire, consisting of 26 closed-ended questions, two of which were matrix questions, and 12 open-ended questions, elicited responses from 200 respondents that indicated what needs the respondents used radio to gratify. Ten listeners were selected for individual indepth interviews to augment the findings. Majority of the respondents stated that their main reason for listening to FM radio stations was to obtain information on public affairs and education. Most respondents tuned in to radio at dawn primarily because of morning devotion. News was the overriding reason why listeners tuned in to radio in the morning. The findings further revealed that the respondents spent relatively more time listening to radio over the weekends than they did during the week. A little above one-third of respondents had phoned into radio programmes. It was evident that majority of the respondents listened to the external radio stations more than they did the local FM radio stations. Good presentation, experienced presenters, timeliness, amplitude, current information and news, current affairs, and educative programmes were attributes that made most respondents prefer the external FM radio stations to the local ones.