Listenership of Chariot FM in Buea Cameroon
Department: Journalism and Mass Communication
No of Pages: 54
Project Code: JMC1
References: Yes
Cost: 5,000XAF Cameroonian
: $15 for International students
ABSTRACT
Radio broadcasting
plays several important roles in peoples’ lives all over world and is used as
major sources of information and news on what is happening within the local
community, at the national level or at the international level.
In Cameroon, the first
radio station started in what was the French sector of the country in the early
1940s. This was located in the main seaport in Douala with just 150watts. After
a break it was revived in 1946 and continued its low power operations until
upgraded in 1955.
From 1955, broadcasting in Cameroon was centered on the capital Yaoundé and several provincial towns around the country.
Listeners use radio for various reasons one of which is for
emotional support, to keep their spirits up through programmes, and the result
will determine to a large extent the attitude listeners would have to
programmes.
This study seeks to
examine Listenership of Chariot FM Buea Cameroon. This study makes use of ‘Uses and Gratifications theory’. Also this
research makes use of a quantitative approach because the researcher
sought an understanding of the subject matter.
The target population
is the entire population of Buea (households) , quantitative data was collected
using questionnaires which were administered randomly to 370 households in
Buea.
This was to get their
perceptions about the listenership of Chariot FM Buea Results from this
findings reveal that the entire respondents were in support of the
fact that Chariot programs are good and
very interesting and listeners were
satisfied listening to Chariot FM.
This study hereby
concludes that Chariot Radio is known and listened by so many people in Buea
with majority of them being taxi drivers. Also this radio is listened by people
of different demographics most especial the young adults.
However, Chariot radio
has very interesting and educative programs but more educative programs need to
be introducing to attract more listeners.
CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.0
Introduction
This chapter
highlights the background of the study, the problem statement, the research
objectives and research questions. It also highlights the justification of the
study as well as the significance of the study.
It also sheds light on
the scope of the study, definition of terms and finally the organisation of the
study.
1.1 Background to the Study
Radio broadcasting
plays several important roles in peoples’ lives all over world and is used as
major sources of information and news on what is happening within the local
community, at the national level or at the international level (Anquandah,
2012, Gathigi, 2009).
Radio communication
has continued to gain momentum globally. According to the World fact book
(2010), more than 44000 radio stations exist and operate worldwide. This
assertion is supported by UNESCO Institute of Statistics (2011) who indicated
that radio accounts for 86% of the total listenership time globally.
The institute further
found that the radio listenership is 8 times that of TV in the global arena
(UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS 2011). 25 out of 51 countries (49%) have
radio channels available on a combined platform, while 13% are available on
cable only and 8% on satellite only (UIS 2011).
In the rural
Philippines, radio has been indicated to be the most dependable medium in the
distribution of news or surveillance, informing and entertaining people. This
has been attributed to the mountainous nature of the country which creates a
challenge as mountains often blocked TV Signals.
However, radio is
listened by 85% compared to less than 60% households that Listen to TV (Info
said 2012). In 2009, radio was used in Brazil by 88% of households, 80% of cars
and 36% of mobile phones (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics
(IBGE, 2010).
This is the same case
in Russia where the use of radio has been on an upward trend with the average
daily audience rising by 4% (37.7 million to 39.2 million) since 2008
(Delloitte, 2016).
Radio listenership has
also increased due to the invention of many gadgets that has features installed
in them for receiving radio and this has been made possible with the new
technologies.
According to Bittner
(1977) radio listeners are not restricted to listening to radio through the
sets but some use their mobile phones some cars also have radio installations,
iPads, iPods, mp3 players and radio internet among the others, the availability
of radio in different platform has made it more accessible.
Advancement in
technology has resulted in the invention of several devices equipped with radio
receiving features. No longer do people listen to radio through rediffusion
boxes or immobile radio sets.
The invention of
miniature devices equipped with radio components has given radio vast mobility
making it the predominant news source for on-the-go population (Brittner and
Brittner 1977).
In developing
countries like those in Africa more than 75% of households have access to a
radio (UNESCO 2012). According to Costa (2012), the use of local radio in the rural
areas from 2000 to 2006 grew by 360% on average.
In rural Zambia, the
access to radio stands at 68% compared to 83% in Tanzania with the radio
providing news and any other information to the rural population (UNESCO 2012)
According to Anquandah
(2012), radio was introduced to Ghana (hitherto Gold Coast) by Governor Sir
Arnold Hodson in 1935 in his maiden broadcast on the new broadcast service;
Station ZOY was received by some 300 subscribers in Accra who used diffusion
boxes.
The station was established
as a public service tool that brought news, entertainment, and music into the
homes of its initial subscribers in Accra (Annor-Antwi, 2009). However, the
station was used for different purposes from 1939 to include the spread of
British propaganda during World War II.
The station was
established as a department on its own in 1953 and was renamed the Ghana
Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) to serve as the mouthpiece of the government
(Ofori-Boateng, 1997).
In Cameroon, the first
radio station started in what was the French sector of the country in the early
1940s. This was located in the main seaport in Douala with just 150watts.
After a break it was
revived in 1946 and continued its low power operations until upgraded in 1955.
From 1955, broadcasting in Cameroon was centered on the capital Yaoundé and
several provincial towns around the country (Tony Rogers 2012).
Despite the world wide
enchantment with the internet and web-based learning, radio still retains the
advantage of being able to serve dispersed, isolated, and disadvantaged
communities aspiring to overcome the barriers of illiteracy and physical
distance in many countries.
Listeners use and
relate to radio in very different ways compared to other media. Listeners use
radio for various reasons one of which is for emotional support, to keep their
spirits up through programmes, and the result will determine to a large extent
the attitude listeners would have to programmes.
People listen to radio
to be informed, entertained, educated, follow their favourite football team,
and follow fashion trends or popular music, among others.
1.2 Statement of the Problem Statement
Rebroadcasting has
grown greatly in Cameroon. Currently there is no region in Cameroon that does
not have a radio station. The significance of radio in informing, educating,
and entertaining people, and it is one way by which people keep in touch with
the contemporary world.
It can be assumed that before the advent of radio, information on what is happening in Buea and social world was (would be) difficult to discern by people.
Even after the advent of
radio and going a step further to establish radio stations in Buea, there is
still doubt as to how many people are aware of what is happening in Buea, and
in the global world.
As humans,
“information they say, is power”, it is therefore imperative that people keep
abreast of what is going on around them, in the town, the country and the world
at large. This study therefore seeks to examine the listenership of Chariot FM radio
station among the population of Buea.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
1.3.1 Main Research objective
The main objective of
this study is to investigate the listenership of Chariot FM radio among the
Buea population
1.3.2 Specific Research Objectives
The following are the
specific objectives of this study:
- To determine the demographics of
listeners of Chariot radio in Buea.
- To identify the most listened programs of
Chariot radio in Buea
- To determine the satisfaction people derive from listening to Chariot radio.
