Based on the recent survey conducted by South-west Media Gauge (SMG), Adaba FM of Akure, Fresh FM and Unique FM of Ilesha, Osun State are considered the most consistently listened to radio stations in South-west Nigeria..
Adada FM has a wide coverage and strong audience base in Ondo, Osun and Ekiti states. Fresh FM with stations in Ado Ekiti, Ibadan and Abeokuta followed closely by Uniq FM of Ilesha, Osun state with a good listenership base in Osun, parts of Ekiti, Ondo and Oyo States.
Eniola Akinpitan, SMG project coordinator said, SMG is strongly focused on creating an audience-friendly survey which will to a large extent, assist the fast-growing traditional media industry in identifying the true reflection of their content and feedback from their audience.
“To make this process viable a lot easier, we had to engage the very popular and indigenous advertising agency in the Southwest; CANWEST MEDIA, to assist in carrying out the Maiden edition of the annual South West Media Survey,” said Akinpitan.
According to Akinpitan, there is a need for a credible measurement system to help media houses understand their audience base better. “The growth of traditional media in the southwest and the unavailability of credible information bordering on the acceptability of the stations and quality of content triggered the birth of the Audience measurement agency South West Media Gauge”.
One of the major gaps in the Nigerian media industry over the years is the lack of credible broadcast audience measurement data that is accepted by all stakeholders in the sector.
The SMG survey adopted face- to- face interview methods with respondents across the locations which included professionals and was reviewed by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), South-west zone.
This in-depth audience research was conducted between November 16 and 14 December 2020, in the respective local dialects that cut across these geographical locations.
South-west Media Gauge, an advanced audience measurement agency which distinguishes itself from other audience measurement agencies by their unique and extensive method of survey debuted their traditional media survey in 2020 to fill the gap and high demand for an in-depth audience measurement through a survey in major cities and towns in the southwest, thereby making it the first media survey platform, showcasing audience listenership per major cities and towns.
With 75 percent of households in developing countries having access to radio out of the numerous options for traditional media, Radio has become Nigeria’s most popular broadcast medium.
According to BBC data, as of late 2015, the country was home to hundreds of radio stations, including nearly 40 state-operated national stations and a growing number of the region and languagespecific broadcasters.