Towards Narrowcasting Programs: A Descriptive Study of Kibera Slum Adult Dwellers' Television Viewing Patterns

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe adults in Kibera slum as a television audience in terms of selected demographics, their television viewing patterns, television preferences and identify any relationship between them, if any. Studies on mass media audience show that audiences are different. In a bid to communicate more effectively inspite of these influences, the mass media commu- nicators are moving towards narrowcasting. Narrowcasting is made possible by audience segmentation. The mass media segments the target audience in three ways; their demographics, psychographics and general audiences' factors. The general audience factors include their consumer behaviour in relation to a given media. This study set out to investigate the Kibera slum adult dweller's demo- graphics, accessibility, availability and preferences in regard to television. A questionnaire was developed to gather data from the Kibera slum adult dwell- ers. The questionnaire was administered to 352 randomly selected adults in Kibera. Initially, the responses to open-ended questions were summarized, categorized, coded and analyzed together with the closed-ended questions. Selected demo- graphic information was cross-tabulated with data on television viewing habits and preferences. The study found out that most of the television audience in Kibera are aged between 18 and 45 years. The residents in Kibera typically watch television at night between seven and nine. The local productions are most favored than for- eign ones. The study also found out that male and female differed in terms of programme preference. Demographic variables such as occupation inevitably in- fluence the way Kibera adult slum dwellers relate to television. As a result of this study, the researcher came up with a few recommendations on how to effectively narrowcast towards Kibera dwellers by use of television. It has also been able to identify possible areas of further research. The findings of this study and the recommendations can serve as a baseline or spring board for any one interested in understanding Kibera adult slum dwellers as a television audience and in particular the patterns that they have developed in relation to it.