RURAL DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION COVERAGE OF RADIO STATIONS SERVING THE EASTERN VISAYAS

Abstract

All station managers or program directors of radio stations serving the Eastern Visayas were interviewed to determine the rural development (RD) information coverage of their stations. A purposive random sample of 600 radio-listening farmers from 12 municipalities in the Eastern Visayas provided additional data on listenership to RD information. All the radio stations surveyed broadcast RD information mainly on agriculture. Government agencies were the sources of RD information for most stations. Radio was perceived to be the most effective channel for communicating RD information while drama was the most listened to format. Persons, usually extension technicians, were the most preferred sources of RD information by the farmer-respondents. About 91.5% of the farmer-respondents listened to RD information broadcast which dealt chiefly with agricutlure.