Since its inception close to 20 years ago, Kikuyu mother radio, Kameme FM, has always have had a lunch-hour gospel show airing between 1300hrs and 1400hrs, till recently when it was yanked off the airwaves.
The hour-long show was an oasis where many Kameme FM listeners would quench their spiritual thirst as they transitioned from morning to the afternoon.
This move by the Mediamax radio station caught many by surprise with some even wondering loudly on social media whether Kameme FM was deviating from God who had guaranteed its existence for the last two decades while also granting it an unrivaled commercial success.
The defunct show fans' concerns aside, you ask yourself, what could have led the first-ever private vernacular radio station in Kenya to get rid of a show it had maintained since its inception?
Well, only Kameme FM management can tell you but a keen follower of Kikuyu radio can almost tell you with absolute certainty why it was done away with. Below are some of the likely reasons.
1.Listenership trends surveys
A Geopoll survey on radio ratings in Kenya that sought to examine listenership patterns for the first quarter of 2019, shows that Kameme FM leads its main rival Inooro FM from morning through the midmorning time frames but it is overtaken by the latter in the afternoon time slot from 1300hrs before regaining leadership during the drive show.
This trend can be attributed to Inooro FM's popular lunch hour gospel show 'Kurikiria' which is no match for Kameme's defunct rival show. Aware of where the loophole existed, Kameme FM had to do something to keep Inooro FM on the check.
2. Surging popularity of its afternoon show 'Kwigangara'
There is no doubt that the 'Kwigangara' show that previously aired between 1400hrs to 1600hrs before the changes that now see it begin at 1300hrs, has been gaining much traction among Kikuyu listeners who are eager to crack their ribs from comedian Ngoni Wa Thuita's witty humour.
3. Commercial interests
Gospel shows are obviously very restrictive and limiting in nature and will rarely attract meaningful advertisements for a commercial radio station like Kameme. Many Ads are secular in nature and will thus be locked out during a gospel show.
You don't expect a gospel presenter to be preaching to you and at the same time telling you where to buy adult stuff, for example. This is the reality that could have struck Kameme FM leading to the move.
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