The Use of Igbo Language in Radio Broadcasting in Enugu State: Audience Reception and Language Attitudes

This study examines the use of the Igbo language in radio broadcasting in Enugu State and investigates audience reception and language attitudes among regular listeners. Radio remains the most widely accessible mass communication medium in rural and semi-urban Igbo communities, and Igbo-language broadcasting plays a potentially significant role in both information dissemination and language maintenance. The study combines a listenership survey administered to four hundred and fifty respondents from three senatorial zones in Enugu State with a qualitative content analysis of thirty hours of Igbo-language radio programming across three state and community radio stations. Sociolinguistic analysis focuses on register variation, code-switching frequency, dialectal accommodation, and listener attitude ratings. Findings indicate high overall audience satisfaction with Igbo-language programmes, with rural listeners expressing stronger positive attitudes than urban counterparts. Significant code-switching into English is documented in approximately thirty-eight percent of broadcast content, which generates mixed audience reactions: older listeners express preference for purer Igbo, while younger audiences report greater relatability when English is incorporated. The study recommends the development of comprehensive Igbo broadcast language standards and investment in Igbo broadcaster language training at state media institutions. Keywords: Igbo radio broadcasting, Enugu State, audience reception, language attitudes, media linguistics.