1.1 Introduction
Radio advertisements drive consumers to remember messages differently in reference to the favorite jingle, program or music. Such beliefs of listeners help advertisement to stay atop of the mind and consumers unconsciously associate with it as a personally relevant information and have an enduring impact on their emotions. Short cycle radio advertising is developed to have an enduring emotional impact on an audience by facilitating their creation of personally relevant understandings of an advertisement (Braun-Latour and Zaltman, 2006).
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Electronic media are media that use electronics or electro mechanical energy for the end-user (audience) to access the content. This is in contrast to static media (mainly print media), which today are most often created electronically, but don’t require electronics to be accessed by the end–user in the printed form. The primary electronic media sources familiar to the general public are better known as video recording, audio recordings, multimedia presentations and online content. However, electronic media may be in either Analog or Digital format. Any equipment used in the electronic communication process (e.g. Television, Radio, Telephone, Desktop Computer) may also be considered electronic media.
Electronic media are ubiquitous in most of the developed world. As of 2005, there are reports of satellite receivers being present in some of the most remote and inaccessible regions of china. Electronic media devices such as Radio have found their way into all parts of modern life. The term is relevant to media ecology for studying its impact compared to printed media and broadcasting the scope of understanding media beyond a simplistic aspect of media such as one delivery platform (e.g. The World Wide Web) aside from many other options.
Electronic media especially Radio serve as a direct instrument of communication, education, information, entertainment and cultural enhancement. Radio are agents of social change because they lead to changes in attitudes, beliefs and skill which can be substantial to rural development considering the low level of literacy among the rural dwellers, the impact of print media (Newspaper and Magazines) will obviously be very restrictive and limited. This makes electronic media (Radio) to be more effective and efficient media in rural development. However, for any meaningful development to take place in rural area, the rural communities need to be properly mobilized in order to create the awareness that is basic for appreciation and participation in any development process.
Brief Background to Broadcasting in Nigeria
From 1932, when Radio Broadcasting service started in Nigeria, as empire service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) to 1992 when broadcasting in Nigeria was de-regulated, the broadcast media were owned either by the National, Regional or state government. The establishment of broadcasting in Nigeria was the result of the determination of the British Colonial authorities to link the colonies with the “mother country” such a link was expected to serve the dual purpose of providing a powerful propaganda machinery for the British and the wider world. A committee was set up to consider and recommend what steps should be taken to accelerate the provision of broadcasting services in the colonial empire.
Radio is one of the viable media of mass communication. Just as communication is the transfer of information from the source to a destination. Presently, for anything to be called communication it must efficiently reach to the source, passing through the specified channel. Undoutfully, there is no way communication could be completed without feedback. Since its invention in 1895, the radio has refused to take a definite form, but has metamorphosed in its shape, features and usage. At inception, radio took the form of a big box with lights, bulbs and dials, after some years, it transformed to a portable unit small enough for one's pocket (Armsterdam News, 2017).
Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Effectiveness of Radio as a Medium of Reaching the Largest Audience.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that the radio remains a prevalent mass communication medium in this part of the world. Data retrieved from the Database for Orient FM stations shows that Northern Nigeria has the highest density of radio stations in the country and among the Northern States, Kaduna ranks third with a total of 19 running radio stations. Preserving a thriving stance despite the competition shove from other main stream media such as television and the internet, “radio remains the medium with the greatest reach and impact worldwide” (Chapman et al., 2003).
As a result of the heterogeneity of audience, various people listen to radio for different reasons and thus have interest in various genres for their personal reasons. Some of these reasons include education, entertainment, basic companionship, information and more.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to evaluate the Effectiveness of Radio as a Medium of Reaching the Largest Audience. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To determine whether the broadcast of advertisements on radio has positive impact on urban commuters towards conceiving and sharing information;
- To evaluate the radio advertisements motivating and capable of driving arousal among consumer behaviour;
- To investigate how radio advertisements penetrate fast and drive positive effect on listeners towards determining store choice and buying probabilities; and
- To identify the effect of price based radio advertisements highly stimulate store choice probabilities and build favorable consumer attitude toward the purchase of products on promotion.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Does broadcast of advertisements on radio has positive impact on urban commuters towards conceiving and sharing information?
- What are the radio advertisements motivating and capable of driving arousal among consumer behaviour?
- What are the effects of price based radio advertisements highly stimulate store choice probabilities and build favorable consumer attitude toward the purchase of products on promotion?
- To what extent does a radio advertisement penetrate fast and drive positive effect on listeners towards determining store choice and buying probabilities?
