A few weeks ago I wrote about the Kandi radio station and my new radio show, but after spending an hour and a half yesterday with one of the radio announcers, I have more information to add.
The radio announcer explained to me in detail the structure of the station. They are only on-air in the morning and evenings. If you tune in to 102.9 in the afternoon or the wee hours of the night, you should just hear static.
Due to the lack of print media and televisions in the region, the radio is the primary source of information for locals. Therefore, the station provides programming and news in the four local languages of their coverage area (Bariba, Dendi, Peulh, and Mokalai), plus French. There are two radio announcers for each language, and the announcer I was speaking to does programming in Dendi. Every morning and every night, the day's news is reported in each local language for 15 minutes each, then for 30 minutes in French. The radio announcers also produce other programming and record paid advertisements in their respective local languages.
Paid programming and advertisements take a variety of forms. Non-governmental organizations can pay to buy a block of time on the radio (eg, 30 minutes), and those in partnership with the station can get discounted rates. Advertisements are recorded by a local language announcer for a $10 fee, and then the advertiser is charged based on the number of times they want the spot to air. A common source of revenue for the station is legal notices and death notices. One foreign aid group has contracted with the station to air a message every evening reminding listeners to get under their mosquito nets.
The radio's range is 30-50 miles, and the radio is the source for all the critical information for the region. Last week, for example, some villagers reported having heard on the radio that any resident of Sonsoro who wants electricity in his home should purchase a meter from the savings institution in Kandi. When the news is reported, the announcers share local news first, then news for all of Benin, then West Africa, then Africa, then the rest of the world. In general, the radio is very popular in Benin and widely listened to.
The radio station in Kandi has a staff of 15-20 people and is under the supervision of the national radio bureau. One responsibility of the national radio bureau, for example, is to approve any changes to the station's programming.
In my last post on the radio station, I wondered how the station could be successful considering that they do not operate a generator and the power is often out in Kandi. I learned yesterday that they used to run a generator when the power went out, but they had to stop when they replaced some of their equipment with more sensitive technology that might blow out if they run the generator. They are working on a solution to this problem so that they can always operate the radio during their regular hours.
As for my show itself, I now have a co-host. Another health volunteer recently transferred to Kandi, so we will now do the show together. We recorded our first joint show on malaria, and we will record the shows together whenever possible. One advantage of a co-host is that if I know I will be absent for a few weeks, I can entrust the show to my partner instead of trying to record multiple shows in advance.
I'm signing off for today. Catch you next time!
The radio announcer explained to me in detail the structure of the station. They are only on-air in the morning and evenings. If you tune in to 102.9 in the afternoon or the wee hours of the night, you should just hear static.
Due to the lack of print media and televisions in the region, the radio is the primary source of information for locals. Therefore, the station provides programming and news in the four local languages of their coverage area (Bariba, Dendi, Peulh, and Mokalai), plus French. There are two radio announcers for each language, and the announcer I was speaking to does programming in Dendi. Every morning and every night, the day's news is reported in each local language for 15 minutes each, then for 30 minutes in French. The radio announcers also produce other programming and record paid advertisements in their respective local languages.
Paid programming and advertisements take a variety of forms. Non-governmental organizations can pay to buy a block of time on the radio (eg, 30 minutes), and those in partnership with the station can get discounted rates. Advertisements are recorded by a local language announcer for a $10 fee, and then the advertiser is charged based on the number of times they want the spot to air. A common source of revenue for the station is legal notices and death notices. One foreign aid group has contracted with the station to air a message every evening reminding listeners to get under their mosquito nets.
The radio's range is 30-50 miles, and the radio is the source for all the critical information for the region. Last week, for example, some villagers reported having heard on the radio that any resident of Sonsoro who wants electricity in his home should purchase a meter from the savings institution in Kandi. When the news is reported, the announcers share local news first, then news for all of Benin, then West Africa, then Africa, then the rest of the world. In general, the radio is very popular in Benin and widely listened to.
The radio station in Kandi has a staff of 15-20 people and is under the supervision of the national radio bureau. One responsibility of the national radio bureau, for example, is to approve any changes to the station's programming.
In my last post on the radio station, I wondered how the station could be successful considering that they do not operate a generator and the power is often out in Kandi. I learned yesterday that they used to run a generator when the power went out, but they had to stop when they replaced some of their equipment with more sensitive technology that might blow out if they run the generator. They are working on a solution to this problem so that they can always operate the radio during their regular hours.
As for my show itself, I now have a co-host. Another health volunteer recently transferred to Kandi, so we will now do the show together. We recorded our first joint show on malaria, and we will record the shows together whenever possible. One advantage of a co-host is that if I know I will be absent for a few weeks, I can entrust the show to my partner instead of trying to record multiple shows in advance.
I'm signing off for today. Catch you next time!
Are there enough generators in your village to receive the station? Is someone designated to always listen so that the village receives the information that it needs? Sounds as though it's an interesting thing for you to be doing. Do you have free reign as to what you present?
ReplyDeleteJean Ralley
We have battery-powered radios in village, and my phone can even get the radio if I plug in the earphones. The radio is widely listened to, so even if you do not hear the critical piece of information, someone else will probably tell you. In the case of the electrical meters, my friend did not hear the announcement that the people of Sonsoro can purchase them, but her grandfather in another village did and he called to tell her.
ReplyDeleteThe scope of my radio program is health and American culture, but no one at the radio station has made any comment on what I should talk about, so I have pretty free reign.
How interested are the villages in hearing about American culture?
ReplyDeleteI think only the more educated people will really listen attentively.
ReplyDeleteSo the world doesn't sit with bated breath to hear what America is doing . . .
ReplyDelete