Radio rules UAE airwaves but needs to evolve, says Hindi FM pioneer

Mehirr Nath Choppra, one of the pioneers of Hindi FM in the UAE, attributed the continued popularity of radio in this age of smartphones and digital media to the high amount of time people in the UAE spend on the road. (Photo courtesy: Mehirr Choppra)

• Reach of radio is the highest among Westerners at 100 percent
• Sharjah has the highest radio listeners, as compared to other cites

DUBAI: People in the UAE spend up to 18 hours a week listening to the radio, according to a recent report on radio audience habits.
According to research by Nielsen, a global measurement and data analytics company, 1.9 million people tune in for 18 hours a week, while 3.4 million people listened in for eight hours a week.
The UAE Radio Audience Measurement (UAE RAM) research has found that 98 percent of listeners aged 10-14 years, and younger millennials aged 15 to 24, clocked up six hours and eight hours of listening a week respectively.
However, 93 percent of 25 to 34-year-olds, 92 percent of those aged 35 to 44 and 91 percent of those between 45-54 still rely heavily on radio for information and entertainment, spending an average of nine hours a week listening to the radio.
Demographics: According to the report, the reach of radio is the highest among Westerners at 100 percent, and Emiratis, with 97 percent of them tuning in for eight hours a week. The data showed that 96 percent of Indians spent nine hours a week listening to radio, while 96 percent of ex-pat Arabs spent 7.5 hours a week listening to the radio.
Other Asians, such as expatriates from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, are heavy listeners with 95 percent reach and 10 hours of average consumption weekly. The medium has a reach of 81 percent among Filipinos and other East Asians who spent 8.5 hours listening a week.
Radio reach and time spent listening vary by location, with 95 percent people in Sharjah and 92 percent listeners in Dubai spending the most time with radio at 10 hours each week. In Abu Dhabi, 95 percent of the population tunes in for 6.5 hours a week, while in Northern Emirates region, which includes Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah, average per week listening activity goes up to nine hours with a reach of 89 percent, the report added.
Across the country 17,000 people participated in the survey, the report said. Mehirr Nath Choppra, one of the pioneers of Hindi FM in the UAE, attributed the continued popularity of radio in this age of smartphones and digital media to the high amount of time people in the UAE spend on the road.
“Radio listening is highest while driving. UAE has 313 cars per 1,000 people and ranks 57th in the world for this factor. So if you take out under-18s, the very elderly, the those who can’t afford a car, and just about everyone else has a car in UAE,” Choppra said.
He added that you would often find a middle class family of four had four cars. “Plus time spent on the road is high as well. Naturally radio fits in very well in this story.” 
However, Choppra said, over the last few years the mobile phone has eaten into radio time. “Either streaming music from the phone or talking on the phone, or listening to music stored on the phone/USB. Many streaming apps have been making significant headway. So much so that the new breed of cars are data/4G enabled to allow mobile data to flow through the car audio system,” said Choppra, who has been a media professional, entrepreneur, educator and radio buff for more than 20 years in the UAE.
However, Choppra added that radio needs to wake up. “Radio has certainly evolved. Unfortunately not evolved enough; not as much as other strong radio markets like the UAE,” he said.
Choppra added that he would love to see a lot more innovation and formats. “There is an overall 
discontent about the quality of content/conversation over FM radio channels. A good radio disc jockey or presenter knows how to connect with her/his audience and build a bond, building an emotional connect that gets listeners addicted. Discontent has a lot to do with the evolution of radio jockeys, program directors, programming, formats, content and how advertisers use the medium,” he said.
Advertiser Funded Content (AFC): Choppra also said that the constant pressure to fit in a brand within programing forces content into a space and the result seems contrived.
“A knowledgeable advertiser will allow the content to flow, and work around the content to attach their brand. Much like Advertiser Funded Content (AFC),” he added.
The RJ ego
Choppra accused RJs of being in love with their own voices to such an extent that they did not know when to stop talking. “Presenters need to empathize with their listeners, understand the holistic power of the medium, understand how their listener perceives them and how the content flows through the day, week, month and year,” he said.
“Unfortunately jocks at times see radio as their two to three-hour show, and not beyond. When you add to that a program director who lacks vision, you will get an irritating RJ with an irritating show, that turns listeners off,” he concluded.