Audience Survey Conducted on “Dewel” Radio ... - FES Ethiopia

ased organizations for that matter. According to them the editorial policy of the
FM Station, does not allow partner organizations such as FSS to bring the plight of
the majority of people to the attention of the public through the electronics media.
There were times that an attempt was made to broadcast less sensitive issues and
the program was taken from air because of misunderstandings between FM Addis
officials on the one hand and FSS and WAAG communications on the other.
Format
The format of “Dewel” radio program combines of interviews, texts and letters
from listeners. Each program is put on air for twenty minutes three times a week.
The format is conceptualized from experience, according to the managing director
of WAAG Communications. “We combine interviews with the text we get from
FSS. In fact, we have researched on the best hours for transmission, which are
universally known as the ‘prime time’, and picked the dates.” In addition, the
communication officer at FSS says that maximum efforts are exerted to make the
program light and easy to the audience, due to the fact that FM station is mainly
for entertainment. He says, “We try to present the program in a light form by
entertaining listeners’ letters, and sometimes by opening the program by poems.”
The managing director of WAAG Communications mentioned that in the
beginning, they also made an attempt to include phone-in in the program.
However, the important technical facilities didn’t exist at the radio station at the
time.
The editors from FM Addis 97.1 commenting on the format say that the program
lacks human elements to attract more audience. The second editor says, “What
matters most is to give human element in the stories that we discuss. If this
important element is missing from the program, there is nothing that drives the
audience to hear your program.” In addition, they both commented on the
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