Learning for Livelihoods in Somalia: Initial Insights on Audience Patterns and Preferences

This 4-page evaluation report outlines key findings from research conducted during the first year of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) World Service Trust (WST)'s three-year livestock welfare education project in Somalia, "Barnaamijka Xoolaha" (The Livestock Programme). Broadcast on the BBC Somali Service, the programme is designed to reach males and females aged 15 and above who are engaged both directly and indirectly in the production, marketing, and selling of livestock. Audience preferences and views on content and format of the programme were collected in surveys, during the pre-testing of content, and from regular consultation with an advisory panel. A survey of 600 radio listeners was conducted in November 2005.

The report outlines the following key findings:

• 95% of respondents reported listening to the BBC Somali Service in the previous six months, demonstrating that the BBC Somali Service is an effective way of reaching the intended audience for Barnaamijka Xoolaha. Within two months of the first broadcast, 79% of respondents were aware of Barnaamijka Xoolaha. Reach was also found to be high, with 63% having listened to Barnaamijka Xoolaha in the two months since broadcasts began, and 39% of respondents reporting that they are regular listeners.
• 79% of respondents said they were interested in listening to a programme about livestock in Somalia, with the five areas of greatest interest being: animal health, marketing skills, disease prevention/outbreaks/cures, general development/raising of animals, and drugs/medication or treatment.
• The most popular time of day to listen to the radio coincides with the broadcast time of Barnaamijka Xoolaha. Despite this, almost 4 out of 10 respondents did not include the 17.00-18.00 time as one at which they currently listen to the radio. For these respondents, the most popular time to listen to the radio is 21.00-22.00 (47%). A repeat broadcast at this time would enable the programme to potentially reach at least 80% of the intended audience.
• Analysis shows that listeners are more likely than non-listeners to have used drugs in the treatment of sick animals. Regular listeners are more likely than both listeners and non-listeners to have used drugs in the treatment of sick animals.
• Variations in knowledge and use of Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs) across the different levels of listenership are statistically significant. The strength of this association is explained by the substantial differences in knowledge and use of CAHWs services by regular listeners, compared to listeners and non-listeners.

The report suggests that Barnaamijka Xoolaha is an effective vehicle for delivering livestock education content in Somalia. The research identified a range of issues around audience listening patterns, the programme schedule, and the content and format of the programme, which point to a number of strategies to improve impact of Barnaamijka Xoolaha on knowledge and practice. The audience patterns and preferences that were identified suggest three ways in which the base of listeners and regular listeners could be expanded:

1. Increase awareness of Barnaamijka Xoolaha, particularly among those aged over 45 years. Those aged over 45 years are the least likely to be aware of Barnaamijka Xoolaha, but, once aware, have a strong chance of becoming listeners and regular listeners.
2. Highlight the benefits of Barnaamijka Xoolaha to those who are aware of its existence, particularly among those aged between 15-29 years of age. Whilst 15-29 year olds have relatively high awareness of the programme (77%), nearly 30% of these do not go on to become listeners. The fact that around 66% of listeners in this age group are regular listeners suggests that, once engaged, the programme has strong appeal.
3. Increase the proportion of listeners who become regular listeners, particularly those aged between 30-45 years of age. Although 75% of those aged 30-45 listen to the programme, over 4 out of 10 of these are not regular listeners – the lowest conversion ratio from listener to regular listener among all three age groups.

This research suggests that Barnaamijka Xoolaha has a mix of topics that audiences identify with, and which coincide with their own listening preferences. The evidence from the initial audience feedback indicates that listeners consider the sections of the programme dealing with business practices to be the least interesting. These could be strengthened through the stories being made more relevant to working life, drawing upon real success stories. Research also suggests that the current format of a mix of weekly reports on market prices, expert advice, and discussion has appeal and credibility among the audience.

The report concludes that the research confirms that listening and listening regularly to Barnaamijka Xoolaha has an impact on knowledge and practice related to the livestock sector. The relationship between impact and intensity of listening varies according to topic, which may be a function of the extent to which there is repetition of topics, and/or the degree to which the information presented is actionable.