Start Making Youth Radio Programmes

Broadcasters, particularly in Africa, must understand the importance of youth-focused programmes, and which ingredients will allow them to attract and retain a younger audience.

Currently there is a lack of youth-focused programmes across the African radio industry. This is even more interesting when you realise the size of potential listenership that young people represent. Around 60% of the population is under the age of 25. 41% of the African population is under the age of 15.

Let’s discuss how to capitalise on this by delivering excellent youth-focused content at your station.

Topics that have proven successful with Clyde’s clients throughout Africa include:

• Education

• • Your young audience want to learn and feel part of the education system. Provide them with regular, topical headlines and discussions which can originate from any educational level – from primary schools to universities.
  • Establish a relationship with local schools and educators. This will allow you to use the pupils’ creative ideas, or even introduce them to working in the radio industry.
• Sport
  • Popular throughout all age groups; young people particularly enjoy hearing about similarly-aged sporting personalities and their stories. There are opportunities for interviews, engagement through phone-in discussions and competitions.
• Celebrities
  • Local, national or global celebrity stories always incite conversation among the youth. Social media is the number one channel for young people to get their celebrity news – if you dedicate some time to discussing stories you find on Facebook and Twitter, your audience will associate your station as the go-to place for their celebrity updates.

Great examples of programming:

• Music
  • Young people enjoy listening to music that is relevant to their age group. The two golden rules when programming youth-focused music are:
    • Do your research – what time and days are best? What music is trending?
    • Trust your young presenters and producers
• Vox pops
  • Vox pops are short excerpts (around 30 second clips) of voices from members of the public. They are a fantastic way to broadcast multiple people’s opinion on a single question or topic. Focusing on relevant topics while incorporating vox pops is a great way to produce youth-focused, professional content – and it is extremely easy to do: all you need is a reporter and a high quality recorder – see the ‘Comrex Access‘.

• Profiles
  • A profile, in radio, is an account of someone’s life or experiences as told by them. This first-person narrative can be a very powerful way to engage your audience. Whether it is a profile of a young athlete, or of a young person who has lost their parents to HIV/AIDS, it will bring listeners into the young person’s world through your station, and help to inspire others.

Always remember:

It is difficult for young people to talk for longer if they are not asked questions, or have not rehearsed with your producer or presenter.

Explain to the young person(s) the significance of the programming, and how it will benefit those listening. Help them realise their importance.

Young people are an important part of society. If you are seen to represent them accurately and respectfully, you will benefit from their listenership.

Clyde Broadcast are the most experienced radio equipment suppliers in the whole of Africa. It would be fantastic to work more with you at your station. Get in touch if there is anything Clyde can do to assist your radio project becoming the best it can be.