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Publication date: June 2015
Author: Trish Doherty
Can listening to a radio show in Sierra Leone increase levels of knowledge about women’s rights, political party agendas, corruption, and water and electricity service delivery? Is listening to a radio show in Sierra Leone statistically associated with more frequent political participation?
These questions form the basis of ±«Óătv Media Action’s research into how two national radio programmes - magazine show (Crossroads) and the debate programme (Talk About Sierra Leone) - are helping influence understanding and participation of politics in Sierra Leone.
Key findings:
- Listeners of both programmes are four times more likely to have higher levels of knowledge on key governance issues compared to non-listeners.
- Listeners of both programmes are three times more likely to participate in the political process compared to non-listeners.
The briefing is a useful insight for research and development organisations into the impact of media on governance in Sierra Leone; the challenges of conducting research during an Ebola epidemic and how regression analysis can help control demographic and social factors for a more informed overview of audience behaviour.