The audio landscape is exploding and has seen a lot of growth across various streams. Radio has long been a trusted companion for people and it continues to be the number one medium that connects people and communities.
Globally, studies and research have also shown that millennials are the biggest audio generation, listening to more content. In fact, it has been said that millennials are the generation that listen to radio the most. According to Nielsen, nine out of 10 millennials listen to radio every week.
In Ghana, the situation is not that far from the global results and that is where a station such as YFM plugs into gap- to be the millennial choice of radio anytime they connect their sets. The YFM brand has always given a chance to young talent to blister great careers across the various streams of creative arts – media, music, movies among others.
It’s an undeniable fact ever since YFM started in 2009, it has consistently become the radio home to good music and entertainment, hence the taste of the millennials. The radio brand has ruled its niche but critical market (youth) for more than decade. The station has consistently been in the Top 5 English Radio Stations in Ghana, according to GeoPoll’s Market Research.
As put, YFM does it for the love of the “culture and movement”. The radio brand has grown to be recognized by key international media networks such as BBC, MTV, BET among others. It has also become the number one partner station for key millennial-oriented activities and campaigns for big brands and organizations in Ghana with its presenters sometimes leading as key influencers.
Radio is changing. It is becoming more digital driven by content and somehow visuals. This is one area YFM has upped in its content game. As bad as Covid-19 pandemic has become, there has been new on-air initiatives by the brand to keep its audience together.
One is the Lockdown Radio initiative where the station decided to bring on music-related content to engage listeners. This began when there were lockdown restrictions on movement and the station decided to entertain their listeners as they stayed home. During the Easter period there was the YFM Clash of the DJs, a Y triangle tournament with DJs of YFM Accra (107.9), YFM Kumasi (102.5) and YFM Takoradi (97.9) going on a head to head battle to finally settle the debate of supremacy on the turn tables.
To inspire the youth, the station brought on a thought leadership radio segment known as the ‘Y Leaderboard Series’. The series which sits on the Myd Morning Radio Show (MMRS) seeks to develop the youth and provide inspiration to listeners by hosting leaders and achievers in various industries in Ghana and beyond. The weekly series has so far hosted Ghanaian politician Kennedy Agyapong, Actor cum Politician John Dumelo, Rev. Dr. Joyce Aryee, Executive Director of Salt and Light Ministries and Patrick Awuah Jr, Founder of Ashesi University.
The week usually ends with an online and radio party known as the Y Party Pressure which takes the country on a long, smooth and effortless ride over the weekend with good music. “The show celebrates the great work of musicians on the continent. Saturday night is also important as it teaches artistes and listeners that good music lives on,” said Programmes Manager for Y107.9FM, Eddy Blay.
The above initiatives have been visualized with livestreaming on YFM social media handles on Facebook and YouTube as well as trends on Twitter. These shows are also syndicated across other digital platforms where the millennials can be reached with such audios and videos.
The youth radio space in Ghana has seen many shake-ups over the years with YFM always standing tall. It seems the management of YFM has the magic touch to youth radio programming that no one can decode.
Just keep Yearning for More because more is coming.
