Masti Radio - Ofcom Licensing

For example, if we base our TSA on Arqiva’s coverage prediction for a signal strength of
54dB or higher and allow for the effects of expected interference from Real Radio, the
total population reached according to 2001 census figures is 2,231,146 (equivalent to
1,792,832 Adults 15+). And the sum of the Asian, Black, Chinese and Mixed Race
sectors represents 8.38% of the total population figure. But if we apply the ethnic group
year-on-year growth percentages mentioned above and contrast them with much smaller
growth expected in the total population we find that by today (2006) our target audience
will already comprise 10.1% of the total Manchester TSA population - and if the same
growth rate continues will represent 12.43% by 2011 and 15.65% in ten years time
(2016).
Of course these figures are averaged across Manchester, so the effect will be even more
dramatic in districts already shown in the 2001 census to have far higher proportions of
people of ethnic origin. For example, Asians alone represented 9.1% of Manchester
(City’s) population in 2001 (twice the 4.6% UK average) the Bolton area also had 9.1%,
Rochdale 9.8% and Oldham 11.9%. Today (2006) these population percentages could
already have risen to 11.4% in Manchester, 10.4% in Bolton; 11.3% in Rochdale and
13.5% in Oldham.
The fact the above are all former mill towns affords a strong clue to the jobs of the
original Asian immigrants, though predominant Asian occupations today tend to be in
service industries, of which property, shop keeping and owning restaurants are probably
the most well known. Meanwhile Manchester’s Black population is concentrated nearer
the city centre, with the Chinese distributed more evenly across Greater Manchester.
Age and Attitude
To fully understand our plans, including how a ‘young’ format within ethnic groups can
be viable and why young Asians need a fundamentally different programming approach
than (Asian Sound already provides for) their elders, it is also important to recognise two
key differences between Asian communities in the UK and those of the indigenous White
population.
1. Non-white populations, including those in Asian communities, are predominantly
young, illustrated by the fact that 30% of the UK ethnic minority population is aged under
16 years, compared to 19% of the white population, with only 10% aged over 55 years,
compared to 25% of Whites. According to a special Rajar breakdown we commissioned
for our original application in 2005, 85.5% of the adult Asian population in Greater
Manchester is aged 15-44, a statistic that underlines the logic of adopting a specifically
‘young’ radio format, which is therefore likely to be directly interesting to a far higher
proportion of the total Asian population than would be the case for another youthfocussed
station within the mainstream/White population.
2. Major differences exist between the cultural identities of the various generations of
Asians living in Britain, a factor closely related to where individuals were born and
brought up. For example, people at the young end of the Masti Radio target audience
will be third generation Asians who were born and raised in Britain. Their parents
(second generation) may also have been born here, or may have come to Britain as a
result of marriage or because they had relatives already living here. But their
grandparents (first generation) are much more likely to have been raised in an Asian (or
African) country.
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