One good thing I love about owing a radio channel is that you'll be able to reach the rural areas where blogs and other online media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram can't actually reach.
If you have elderly ones in the village like your retired grand-parents, then you should be the one to tell me how much they enjoy listening to radio. Don't worry, it's same here and everywhere, my own grand parents do same.
Apart from the aged parents, young people like me also listen to radios. My best radio channel is Blaze 91.5 FM, they keep me blazing with their music...lol. I listen to the channel anytime I'm less busy or embarking on a journey. and what I enjoy most from the channel is their non-stop music and different music genres.
NOTE If the notion of speaking on a life microphone scares you or makes you nervous, it might be a better choice for you to record your broadcast ahead of time to aid reduce or remove the nervousness.
Special Facts You Need To Know About Nigerian Radio Channels
- The Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria is in charge of regulating all the Nigerian radio channels.- The Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria was founded in 1933.
- Nigerian radio channels operate in frequency modulation radio frequency.
- There are about 25 channels of radio Nigeria all over the country.
- Nigeria alone has more than 200 radio channels.
How To Own A Radio Station In Nigeria
- Do a general evaluation and analysis of the project
Why do you need a radio channel? Who will be the target audience? What is your budget? Ask your self these questions and conduct researches to know how other people previously succeeded in it. Some people even advise working in a radio channel for a period not lesser than six months so you can know how manage yours better.
- Get an office
You should get a spacious office if you really want to have a big radio channel, also find a good name for the channel. Also, acquiring a big office becomes a necessity because some licensing bodies will need to inspect your office before giving you the license and permission to carry on with the project. While naming it, ensure to use a name your listeners can easily remember.- Create a corperate account
Since the business will be registered, creating a corporate account with the name of the channel won't be that difficult. All banks have different requirements for creation of accounts but in all, you must bring:- A valid ID Card
- A current utility bill receipt
- The license
- How to register a radio station in Nigeria
This is another important step, in fact it should come before the above stated step because corporate accounts require your license. Registration of your business make it to be recognized as a legal entity, or legitimate Nigerian business.The agency in charge of business registrations is Nigeria is the Corporate Affairs Commissions (CAC). The steps involved include:
1) Deciding on the name
2) Verification of the name, to know if it's still available.
3) Attestation of the form in a federal or state court.
4) The final stage is the when you receive the certificate of registration.
Please, you can find out more about business registration from here.
(the steps stated above applies to all Nigerian businesses)
The next step is to forward an application letter to Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC). The NBC is in charge of issuing broadcasting licenses to channels and also for the regulation of the industry.
Your application will be forwarded to the President through the office of the Minister for Information and applicant will be expected to pay a sum of
The applicant will receive and fill the forms, then return them with the following documents:
- A certificate of incorporation
- An engineering design and feasibility study
- Memorandum,and
- A banker’s reference
This is the last stage after which the license will be issued.
NOTE It takes a sum of fifteen million Naira to twenty million Naira for the license to be issued to you and four to five million Naira to be renewed. Renewal is after every five months.
Also, radio channels not licensed by the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission have high risks of being shut down.
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- Branding of the station
This is nothing more than giving your business a unique tagline, description and memorable name. Like we said earlier, you should give your channel a name your listeners can easily memorize like Zanders fm, Blaze fm, Heartland fm, Orient fm, and many more.Can't you see how unique and simple this names sound?
Orien fm was formerly known as Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC), perhaps this was the reason behind their sudden change of name, no one knows.
- Acquire business equipment
You should already be prepared for this. Essential equipment in every radio channel include:1) A transmitter: This is the equipment that converts electrical signals into radio waves thereby enabling them to travel through long distances over certain waves.
There are many different types of transmitters ranging from 15watts to 1kwatts and the capacity determines the distance the radio signals can reach.
2) Antennas: This is used for amplifying signal travel to the radio waves and to the listeners (audience).
3) Power supply: I'll even advice that you have a solar panel in the station, it'll help reduce the cost of burning fuels. But apart from that, a standby generator is a must.
4) A mixer: This is used for controlling different aspects of the radio broadcast. You can check out this mixer from Konga at only
All this equipment can be gotten from Konga at affordable rates, check them out now!
Apart from the above items, other things required by a radio channel include:
- A well equipped office.
- A transmission room.
- A broadcasting studio.
- An editing and recording room.
- Start employing staff
A good radio channel must need the services of the following:- Journalists
- Newscasters
- Disc Jockeys (DJ)
- Script manager
- Production manager
- Cleaning section
- Security section
- Electrical section
- Sound engineer
- Mechanical engineer
in all, make sure you have the right leadership skills and try to employ the best employees that are vial to the operations of a standard Nigerian radio channel.
- Carry out a broadcasting test
Reduce the frequency to a limited range and test to know how comfortable your audiences will be listening to your channel. If everything is normal, test to know if the frequency can be able to reach the required audience in their various locations.How To Get More Listeners To Your Radio Station
Getting an audience, especially the younger ones is undoubtedly a great challenge. The Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and other social networks including blogs are acting as a distraction and making our younger ones to stop listening to radio.
So, if you really want to get a great audience, then read the steps written below:
- Keep the suspense
Daily, announce the following day's most interesting and exciting programs. I have stayed awake to 10 pm several times in order to relationship tips from Blaze fm. It's very interesting because many people, especially the youths call and air their views on selected topics, while entertaining the audience.- Use the internet
Since it's as if the youths are running to the social media, why not catch them there? You can have internet radio version of the offline ones, run advertisements to attract listeners and many more. It works! Also, have an official Twitter channel and update it regularly.- Play new music
In my secondary school days, I was a boarder and my Mum refused to buy a handset for me. If you play the latest music a day or two after they are released, then your station will be a hot cake. Try it, bring out an hour everyday for music and you'll notice a difference in your listeners.- Make interviews
Invite celebrities, entrepreneurs, politicians, religious leaders and reputable people in the society for interviews, it'll go a long way towards increasing your audience.- Be fashionable
Young minds like fashion a lot. How about devoting a little time weekly on discussing about the fashion trends, also allowing callers and listeners to send sms?- Discuss with your listeners
Have a medium for hearing your listeners opinions. It can be a Twitter account, your e-mail, Facebook page, Instagram direct message or any other way. I have once encountered a radio channel that had a very active Facebook group that I belonged to then.Radio channel business is a very lucrative one if you start getting the required audience. Businesses and brands pay much for their products to be advertised to people.
So you can see, and the niche is not that competitive. At lease, less than 200 channels for millions of Nigerians, you too can join the band-wagon.
Confused?
Please ask a question in the comment section or contact us.
Also check out our next article on how to start making more than $500 a month as a writer in Nigeria.
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