New Vernacular TV Viewership Habits; A Case of Inooro TV

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess vernacular television viewership habits, with a case of Inooro TV. The study was based on four objectives that included: to find out which television stations Kiambu residents watch; to find out the specific programmes audiences watch on Inooro TV and why; to find out Inooro TV‟s strategies towards retaining and growing the viewership and to explore the attitude of different demographics towards vernacular TV. The theories explored in this study were the Uses and Gratification Theory and Cultural Imperialism Theory. The study was conducted in Kiambu Sub-County in Kiambu County, a County largely settled by the Kikuyu Community with an estimated population of about 2,417,635 residents (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, 2019). Since the County is quite extensive, for the purposes of this study the researcher narrowed down the study area to Kiambu Sub-County, which has an estimated population of 145,903 residents. This is because the sub-county covers residents living in the township area and also the rural areas of Kiambu County, hence providing the research with representative samples of semi-urban and rural residents. The sample size for the survey was 399 respondents. This study used the mixed method research design, whereby both Quantitative and Qualitative data was collected. Quantitative data was collected through surveys, whereby the researcher administered open and close-ended questions through questionnaires and interviews. Qualitative data was collected through the case study method, whereby key informant interviews were conducted on key staff of Inooro TV. Once data was collected, it was interpreted, analysed and the findings further discussed to reach a conclusion. Qualitative data was analysed through thematic content analysis to get main themes. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics and presented in figures, tables and pie charts. The study found out that most respondents do watch vernacular television stations, and most specifically Inooro TV. For general television viewership, the study found out that 42.7% residents watch Inooro TV, followed by Citizen TV at 20.5%. The respondents had varied reasons including; watching to learn more about their mother tongue and culture, good news coverage, quality of programmes, variety of content to watch, rural area coverage and the high level of professionalism observed by the station. For the Key Informant Interviews, the study found out that the management of Inooro TV has put a lot of effort to ensure that its viewers are provided for with an all-round, family-oriented programming package, offering them what they want, as and when they need it. This is guided by frequent audience research every quarter of the year, to keep track on the changing tastes and preferences of their audience. The researcher therefore recommends more research to be conducted on the changing viewership habits for the young adults in their 20‟s and those aged below 20, who seem to be drawn to television stations that have purely youthful programmes as compared to family-oriented television stations and also the changing modes of consumption of television content, with the biggest competitor of the traditional television being the online streaming television channels.