USE OF MUSIC FOR AUDIENCE ENGINEERING BY LOVEFM, COOL FM, ANDWAZOBIAFM: A COMPARATIVE EVALUATION

Abstract

This study comparatively evaluated and analyzed the use of music as a tool for engineering audiences on Love 97.7 FM, Cool 96.5 FM, and Wazobia 94.1 FM. The objectives were to determine the genres of music played by Love97.7 FM, Cool 96.5 FM, and Wazobia94.1 FM to engineer the audience. In addition, the study sought to determine whether Love 97.7FM, Cool 96.5FM, and Wazobia 94.1FM had deliberate policies on engineering audiences toward their radio stations through music. The theoretical underpinning of the study was anchored on active audience theory and uses and gratification theory. The design used in the study was a focus group discussion, and the researcher were the instrument for data collection. The sampling was done in two groups, with one focusing on selected staff members from the three different radio stations while the other focused on residents of the Port Harcourt metropolis, out of which a sample size of 15 was chosen with the purposive sampling technique. The three radio stations that were evaluated had audience engineering programs through music, such as the Drivetime Show on Cool 96.5 FM, the One Nigeria Radio show on Love97.7 FM, and the Lunch hour drive on Wazobia 94.1 FM. From the findings of the study, it was discovered that the genres of music, differently put, had played to engineer audiences toward their radio stations. In addition, Love 97.7 FM, Cool 96.5 FM, and Wazobia 94.1 FM had certain financial, musical, and governmental policies attached to their airplay to draw the audience through to their radio stations. In conclusion, from this research, recommendations are that these three radio stations should choose the appropriate genres of music that will facilitate audience engineering on their different radio platforms. Also, Love 97.7 FM, Cool 96.5 FM, and Wazobia 94.1FM FM should learn to take deliberate policies that will help them in audience engineering, especially by reviewing the music played by their stations regularly. Furthermore, Love97.7 FM, Cool 96.5 FM, and Wazobia 94.1 FM should learn to play the right music in order not to cause a nuisance or be seen as generating noise, which eventually leads to the audience switching over to another radio station frequency.