Viewership and Listenership of Health – Related Entertainment-Education Programmes Among Women in Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the viewer-ship and listener-ship of health–related Entertainment-Education (EE) programmes among women in Lagos State, Nigeria. Using a multi-stage sampling technique, 408 women were sampled from Lagos State and a combination of structured questionnaire and interview schedule methods were used to elicit information on respondents’ ownership of radio; TV and Video sets, their viewership/listenership of healthrelated EE programmes, their forms of participation and benefits derived in participating in health-related EE programmes. Data collected were summarized using descriptive statistics. Data showed that majority of respondents (80.6%) owned all the three media (that is, radio, television and video player). Majority had either watched or listened to the different types of health-related EE programmes mostly from drama aired on TV or radio while less than 50% indicated they had listened to or watched the various health programmes through other EE channels. Also, about 93.5% of respondents participated in health-related EE programmes beyond mere listening and watching. Education ranked as the highest benefit derived by respondents from listening to/watching EE programmes, followed by information and entertainment respectively. The study concluded that viewership and listenership of health-related Entertainment-Education programmes among women is highest for drama aired on the radio and TV and poorest for live drama and film shows.

Key words: Viewership, Listenership, Entertainment- Education, Health –related