AudiencScapes

The AudienceScapes team is currently conducting preliminary research on the project's recent Zambia survey (implemented April 2010). Here is one more of the interesting points we have recently discovered in our dataset. Stay tuned to our Featured Chart section for more insights and for our upcoming full reports.

Income variation presents some of the most informative variations in the use of traditional mediums in Zambia. For the poorest tiers of Zambian society, radio is the most important (and sometimes only) source of information, while for the more affluent tiers television viewership(at least weekly) is quite comparable to radio listenership (at least weekly). Comparatively, newsprint is not a particularly widespread source of information for any income tier and is only marginally important for those the most affluent. For lower income respondents mobile phones were proven to be more prevalent than even television. As mobile penetration increases and more complex mobile activities are accept mobile communication has great potential to become not only a means of communicating between individuals but also an important source for news and information. 

Related Links:

Radio, Mobile Phones Stand Out in Africa’s Media/Communication Landscape

In Zambia, Alternative Electricity Sources Help Power Radios in Low Access Provinces

Zambia Uses ZAIN SMS to Fight Measles

Zambia: To Market, To Market By Mobile Phone

Income: AudienceScapes analysts define income levels based on a self-assessed, qualitative measure. This builds from a question asking people “Which of these answers reflect your family’s financial situation?”: The available answers are the following: “We don't have enough money even for food” (Low Income, N =342); “We have enough money for food, but buying clothes is difficult” (Lower Middle-Income, N =656); “We have enough money for food and clothes and can save a bit, but not enough to buy expensive goods such as a TV set or a refrigerator” (Upper Middle-Income, N=521); “We can afford to buy certain expensive goods such as a TV set or a refrigerator”, or “We can afford to buy whatever we want” (combined in High Income, N=409).