Determinants of local and foreign TV channels viewership amongst TV audience in the Buea municipality, South West Region, Cameroon

Abstract

This study seeks to identify audience preferences and the determinants that affect their choice to watch local or foreign television. A quantitative research design was used, with survey as specific method. Some 326 respondents were surveyed in ten (10) core neighbourhoods in Buea Municipality where cable television consumption is widespread. According to the findings, 24.5% (80) of the respondents indicated that they view foreign television always, as opposed to 11% (36) who indicated that they view local television channels always. In this value (always) category therefore, there is a 13.5% gap (in favour of foreign television) in viewership preference between foreign television and local television on a weekly basis. An ANOVA test produced a statistically significant difference at the p < .000 level in audience weekly foreign TV exposure and high-quality content as a determinant of international over local TV viewership with F (4, 321) = 8.457, p < .000. The significance level of 0.000 is less than the threshold value of 0.05, confirming the hypothesis that high-quality content is determinant of audience weekly foreign TV viewership over local channels. Similar statistically significant differences were established for exciting/entertaining programmes and provision of 24 hours TV programmes as a determinant of audience choice for foreign TV over local TV channels. These findings suggest that high quality production content, exciting/entertaining programmes and provision of 24 hours TV programmes were factors that determined high dependence on foreign over local television channels. By implication, local content producers need to focus on these concerns and strive to meet up such audience needs to be able to stand this rife competition from foreign television.