HOW GOVT'S FM STATIONS CAN SURVIVE COMPETITION:THE CASE OF FED. RADIO CORPORATION OF NIGERIA

The Federal Radio Coporation of Nigeria {FRCN} has at least 21 FM stations that are up and running across the country. It is envisaged that more functional stations will be added to the stable of the corporation to add up to 32 as conceived by the originators of the project.

The essence of this write up is to assess how our FM stations have fared, and generate reactions that can help to position them to deal with future challenges. This is not a solution clinic, but an interactive contribution that seeks to find solutions to whatever perceived difficulties the stations may be going through.

At this point, it is important to ask this question: are the FM stations doing well? From the hindsight of research data available to stakeholders in the advertising industry, our FM stations are not just living up to expectation. Media Planning Services report for January/February, 2008 indicates that FRCN FM stations are just average in terms of regional ratings. Even more worrisome is the fact that none of them came tops during the period. This may explain why they are not attractive to high net worth ad spenders.

It is not in the purview of this piece to delve into the objectives of setting up the stations, even if understanding the objectives might provide clues to their dismal performance. However, the following factors might offer some illuminating insights:

i. Do any of the stations have clearly defined station format/target audience? A station’s format represents the type of programme combination it seeks to broadcast. Examples are Talk, News, Talk/Documentary, Music/Sports, Music/News et cetera. Target audience on the other hand is usually expressed in age groups e.g. 1-15, 16-24, and 24-40. The station format determines the audience, while the target audience defines the stations programme format. They are what I will call a Siamese pair. It is necessary to define the station format/target audience for better market positioning. A private station in Abuja is well known for playing latest contemporary music. This is reflected in its famous slogan, “more music less talk”. By this it has unequivocally defined its target audience and differentiated itself from the other offerings in Abuja. Kapital FM’s “station that rocks the nation” byline does not sell any distinct message to prospective audience. So, it might be that our FM stations are not given to niches. They are still broadcasting to everybody in an era where narrowcasting is the norm that guarantees better profit taking.

ii. Does the staff deployed to the FM stations have the core competency required to propel their stations to stardom? Well, this is arguable. For me, as staff {this includes the General Managers} with civil service orientation, they may not possess the zeal, drive and enthusiasm that their counterparts in the private stations have. To them, it might be business as usual. I sincerely believe that there is need for a reorientation of our business values.

iii. Is the workforce being trained and retrained to keep them abreast of innovations in their fields? Probably not so. Those who work in the FM stations need to be trained and retrained so that they will not be thrown out of reckoning like dry leaves falling off a boisterous tree.

iv. Are the stations responsive to technological innovations that will improve their effectiveness and put them in good stead to compete favorably with other stations? This may not be, going by industry performance results. New technologies will definitely give the stations the cutting edge over their competitors. They need to think new perspectives.

v. Do the General Managers see themselves as the Chief Marketing Officers of their stations? Of course, they are the CMOs of their stations. A good GM, just like a good Sales Manager must be flexible to adapt to the needs and challenges of his/her organization. Our GMs should be outgoing and should imbibe the marketing concept which surmises that client satisfaction is the magic wand that can raise the profit bar.

vi. Has management given the GMs a free hand to play out their talents? Executive fiat which compels the FM stations to hook on to network programmes that are at odds with their character can hamper the competitive capabilities of the stations. The GMs would need some level of space to be able to realize the full potential of their stations.

The foregoing is a cocktail of questions and probable answers which should give lots of energy to our resolve to hoist our FM stations to enviable heights.

FRCN as a corporate entity must think new perspectives in the ever changing, and increasingly complex and competitive global village. Interested readers should please make comments or send email suggesting other possible strategies my station can use to upturn competition. Thank you.