Survey reveals wide reach of Sharjah Broadcasting Authority’s television and radio channels

SHARJAH, 18th September, 2021 - A comprehensive nationwide survey conducted by the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority (SBA) has revealed that television viewership and radio listenership stood at a high 93.2 percent in Sharjah, compared to 91.7 percent in the UAE as a whole. Fifty-six percent of the surveyed audience watch television for less than 5 hours a day; around 23 percent watch for 5-10 hours daily; while 9 percent spend between 10 to 15 hours on TV programmes. The survey revealed the wide reach of the SBA channels and stations across the UAE. Sharjah TV clocked 64 percent viewership, while Sharjah Radio had a listenership of 60 percent. The listenership of Pulse 95 Radio was 41.5 percent, and that of Quran Radio was more than 68 percent. The survey conducted by

SBA in cooperation with OMNES Media aimed to gauge the outreach and popularity of SBA’S TV and radio channels, and the UAE audience’s evaluation of their offerings. Commenting on the survey results, Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Directorgeneral of SBA, said that the survey sample covered all segments of the UAE community in terms gender, age nationality and educational level, was conducted by a third party to ensure precise and transparent results. He added, "The local broadcasting sector lacks updated information and reliable data on its audience outreach, programming and content demand. This is the reason SBA included periodic surveys into its new strategy so as to better understand the UAE audience, and provide the kind of content that viewers and listeners desire." About 26,000 people participated in the survey, and were sent digital questionnaires via e-mail or on social media by the OMNES Media Survey system. The survey is in line with the SBA’S objectives to continually improve its content through research and invest in innovative programming across its radio and television channels, thereby catering to audiences across Sharjah and the UAE.