RADIO LISTENING BEHAVIOUR AMONG MARKET WOMEN IN ANYIGBA, KOGI STATE

Abstract

In Anyigba community of Kogi State, Nigeria, broadcasting signals from four radio stations can be received. These include Radio Kogi, Ochaja; Grace FM, Lokoja; Confluence FM, Lokoja; and Fusion FM, Anyigba. The fact that radio is popular among people today does not mean that people listen to it in the same pattern, as it is with other media of mass communication. Audiences listen to radio for different purposes and in different ways. This study sought to ascertain the radio listening behaviour among the market women in Anyigba community. The work is anchored on uses and gratifications theory. The study adopted the survey method of research with questionnaire as the instrument for data collection. A sample of 165 was purposively derived from the population of the market women using the Taro Yamane formula. It was found that majority (58%) of the market women in Anyigba listened to radio programmes often. Their exposure to radio messages was high and their preferred radio station was Radio Kogi Ochaja, because it transmits mainly in the local dialect and provides them information, education and entertainment. It was therefore recommended that governments at all levels should consider the establishment of more rural or market-women oriented radio stations to cater for their interests. There should be more educational and informative programmes targeted at the market women in Anyigba; and they should be encouraged to obtain affordable radio sets so as to expose them to radio programmes. Radio stations were asked to produce more of rural programmes to benefit the market women since they have a positive listening habit to the radio.