Radio on The Fast Lane

In the last couple of years, the number of radio stations in Lagos has more or less doubled. Not many Nigerians can conveniently list out the number of channels on their radio dial. Though it might seem like the sector is getting oversaturated, a close look at the operators proves such thinking to be far from the truth. But how come the sector is growing in the midst of the global credit crunch? Joseph Ekeng Asks.

Teddy Don-Momoh has a tall ambition. No, not one of those whirlwind million dollar trip to the moon, he is actually obsessed with a vision that will redefine radio broadcasting in Nigeria and bring radio stations, not just the waves, closer to your doorsteps. Just like you have mobile eateries, mobile ice cream shops, mobile boutiques, mobile advertising billboards, Don-Momoh, a presenter and producer with Star FM, says he plans to pioneer a mobile radio station in Nigeria. Don-Momoh’s obsession about the street radio concept is all so tangible he is practically drenched in his sweat when he talks about it. He imagines that Nigeria will be very much excited to partake in a broadcast instead of merely catching up on it via the radio. “Rather than talking about Alaba traders from Ikeja or Island, you can actually drive in there with your transmitter hooked to your car and get them to be part of the broadcast,” he says. “That is what obtains in developed nations. Anybody can broadcast from wherever he likes. A lot of people broadcast from their cars. They inform people about the traffic and other activities happening on the streets from inside their cars and they also give out gifts in the process,” Don-Momoh says.
Nigeria has not come close to that yet. In the eyes of many, FM radio broadcasting is just taking off in the country. Nevertheless, the sector has come a long way from the 1990s when the likes of OGBC, Raypower, Rhythm FM, Cool FM, Metro FM and Star FM dominated the airwaves. From that time till now, the number of radio stations in Nigeria has almost tripled. A list of radio stations in Nigeria will look like a catalogue from Shoprite and most Lagosians will need to google to find out the exact number. At the last count, the number added up to about 20 in Lagos alone, with more being expected in the coming months. Some of the newest stations in Lagos include Choice FM, Unilag FM, Radio Continental, Top FM, Beat FM, Classic FM, Wazobia FM and Inspiration FM. Interestingly, despite the explosion, and contrary to the expectation of many, the radio business is still thriving as each of the about 20 FM channels, as well as the Amplitude Modulation stations popularly known as AM stations, are enjoying a fair share of business. But how long will this good time last, given the consequences usually associated with large numbers. Another question many might ask is:  Do we really need more radio stations?
Stiff Competition
Before now, when the channels were much fewer, it was easier to decide what channel to stick with. Now, it is not that much an easy decision. Gradually, some of the new stations are eating away into the audience of the older stations. Stations like Beat FM, Classic FM, and Wazobia have made considerable inroad into the traditional audience of some of the long established station and by so doing have cut down on their influence and rating. Even Dan Foster, who was the ultimate crowd puller, during his days with Cool FM, no longer commands cult followership, like he used to. Yet some of his colleagues in the first generation FM radio stations have applauded the sporadic rise in the number of FM stations as a good development. They maintain that the growth will engender the spirit of competition. “Competition will bring out the best in the industry,” Don-Momoh remarks. “The channels offer listeners more choices and at the end of the day, it is those that can sustain listeners’ attention that will survive, Akeem Lasisi, Art Editor, Punch Newspaper insists.
Demand for Creativity
It doesn’t yet seem like the competition is as intense as many anticipated though, because some of the new stations have simply turned out to become a clone of the existing ones. For example, many listeners are of the opinion that Inspiration FM is a replica of Cool FM, Radio Continental is just like Rhythm FM, while Top FM is a genetic copy of Star FM. Moreso, most of the radio channels are still into the generic thing – every kind of music, sports, news and more music. “Everybody seems to be doing the same thing; nobody has been able to add creativity to his content,” Jare Ayo Martins, a broadcaster, says. Martins notes that the industry is not saturated as many will like to portray it, as there is market for every player. “The market is about creativity and strategy. You must know the difference between one and the other,” he informs. But the question of professionalism has also been thrown up at one point or the other. “Listening to some of the programmes, from all indications, you will get to know that they were hurriedly packaged. So, we need more radio stations in Lagos because the market is there, listeners are there and there would be stiff competition among the stations for listeners to get the best,” Shoaga Bodunrin, a member of Independent Producers Association of Nigeria (INTERPAN), reasons.
It is worthy of note, however, that not all the new radio stations have come without a distinguished statement of intent. Some have indeed come to create a stir and make a unique statement. Three of the wave-making new entrants are Wazobia FM, Beat FM and Classic FM. Each of these three has their own unique package, different from what the others offer. Classic for example is noted for 100 percent old school music at every time and any time, and it seems like lovers of old school can’t seem to get enough of them. Beat FM is the original ‘more music less talk’ station – there is barely a need for a presenter in Beat FM. Wazobia FM has become a monster hit in Lagos due to its strict pidgin usage. That has endeared it to the grassroots people. But that’s not all. Surprisingly, even people in the higher cadre still find Wazobia fascinating.
Also worthy of mention at this point is the exploits of Brilla FM, which has been able to raise the stakes, carving out a niche for itself with a blend of music and sports broadcasting.
But while the other new entrants may not entirely stand out like Classic, Wazobia and Beat, they have been able to keep their heads above the water, at least for now, and are creating worries for the established radios in more than one way. Every time a new channel comes on, some of the established ones lose staff. The new station dangles a bigger pay and position, and, before you know it, a popular presenter is on their books. “They know that when they get a known voice, his loyal listeners will gravitate with him to the new location,” Don-Momoh says. One classic example is Dan Foster’s well publicized switch to Inspiration FM. And it goes without saying that a good number of the American’s loyal listeners also switched camp too. Many other well known names have also been compelled to switch loyalty to one of the new radios. The growth more or less is creating a harvest of employment opportunities for practitioners. “The more the merrier. It will create choices. If you were working in radio A and you believe your interest is not protected, you can gravitate to B,” Lasisi maintains.
The influx is not just sweeping staff from one radio to another; it is also undermining the listenership of the traditional leaders. Since radio signal are not paid for, listeners enjoy the liberty of tuning away as soon as they are not satisfied with any broadcast, not minding if it is their favourite station or not. And where the listeners are, there goes the adverts as well, especially since the global economic meltdown has made advertisers more careful about their advertising placements. So the rise in the number of stations is not without its effects.
“The influx is affecting sales and, coupled with the global credit crunch, our revenue has dwindled,” Sule Ogunbanwo, a marketing staff with Radio Lagos and Eko FM says. Ogunbanwo notes that the increase in the number of radio outfits has stretched the advert revenue. “If for example Glo has a budget of N15million for radio advert, it will now be shared into about 17 places. So if Eko FM used to get N2million before, they would now get between N1.2 and N1.3million.”
But that’s just one way to look at it. With the innovations coming up in the sector, radio is winning more and more listeners. In a place like Lagos, people now find it convenient to listen to radio in their cars for the about four hours they have to spend on traffic to and fro their place of work. It is now even fashionable to listen radio while you work, depending, of course, on the kind of work you do. And advertisers are not oblivious of this. M2′s media survey shows that a good number of these new stations are getting a fair share of advert patronage and that’s why they are surviving.
Standing Up To Competition
Indeed, some of the older channels are not just folding their hands while some much younger competitors vigorously tear into their territory and threaten their future. Some of them have tried to consolidate their position by re-appraising their programmes and doing some form of rebranding. There is no limit to how far some of them are ready to go to stay on top. The management of Eko FM and Radio Lagos recently dug deep into its bank account to secure the services of some communication consultants from the United Kingdom and USA. The expatriates, according to the media outfit, worked with other seasoned Nigerian professionals to mark out a new blueprint for the station. Eko FM and Radio Lagos are two of the most popular government-owned radio stations in Lagos. In the nineties and early 2000 both of them were keenly patronized by Lagosians, with Radio Lagos, a purely Yoruba station, being the number one for the Yoruba speaking grassroots people. While Radio Lagos has managed to sustain it audience, Eko FM is gradually losing its allure. “We don’t have competition with Radio Lagos, but Eko FM is feeling some effect,” Ogunbanwo admitted.
But in a typical civil servant response, Tinuade Aina-Badejo, General Manager of Eko FM recently denies that the flood of new entrants is affecting the station. “I would rather say we are able to stand competition. That is why we are rebranding. We must always move with time,” Aina-Badejo says. She recalls that a recent radio rating ranked Eko FM as the third best in Lagos “and we are not too happy about that.”
“Due to the concern we have about the low rate of patronage despite the popularity of Eko FM, about a year ago, we decided to take a dispassionate look at it ourselves to see where we got it wrong.
“We were able to get a number of consultants from the UK and America who proffered solutions on how we can reposition Eko FM because the competition is so stiff in Lagos,” Aina Badejo volunteers.
The Future
With a population of 15million people, practitioners still consider about 20 radio stations too little for Lagos State. “London alone, with a far less population has about 150 radios,” Don-Momoh points out, adding that Lagos still needs a lot more radio stations, and that the Lagos market was still big enough for more operators. Some other practitioners maintain that community radio should also be encouraged. They lament that some of the operators that got licenses for community radio are not abiding by the scope of their licenses. For example, Unilag FM, which operates on a community radio license, seems to have abandoned the terms of their mandate. They are now trying to compete with the other radio stations.
But some of the stakeholders caution that regulators should carefully watch operators to ensure they abide by Nigeria’s broadcasting code. “If it is allowed to go without proper regulation, it could end up in a mess just like you have in the banking sector,” Lasisi says. “The Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation has a duty to consider the programme they are putting forward; they should ensure that all of them are not gravitating in the same direction,” he adds.
Indeed, radio culture is growing at a fast rate, especially in Lagos. Maybe when the number of stations gets to 100, then one can talk of over-saturation. But for now the talk should be on how the sector will keep improving on their job of entertaining, educating and informing their teeming audiences. Again, it is still too early for people to raise eye brows about numbers. After all practitioners like Don-Momoh are yet to transform their dream of a mobile radio into reality.