Measuring the Effectiveness of an Intensive Training Course in Radio Program Production: A Case Study of Shababia Radio

Abstract

This research is grounded in the significance of training programs in developing and qualifying media professionals, particularly in the field of radio broadcasting. Especially in an era characterized by rapid advancements that have led to increased competition from new media outlets, radio stations have been compelled to intensify their training initiatives. This study aims to answer a central question: To what extent are training courses effective in enhancing the production of audio programs? To address this question, a questionnaire was designed to measure the effectiveness of an intensive training course in radio program production. The course was conducted at Al-Shababiya Radio Station between November 17th to 26th, 2024, and comprised 32 hours of theoretical and practical training. Employing an experimental method on a single group, the study examined participants before and after the course. All program producers at Al-Shababiya Radio Station, totalling 19 individuals, were included in the research. Given the small sample size, non-parametric statistical tests were utilized.

The results supported the alternative hypothesis (H1), indicating a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the pre- and post-training assessments. The findings revealed that the training course successfully elevated the skills and knowledge of the trainees by 47.6% between the pre- and post-training evaluations. The Mann-Whitney U test demonstrated significant differences at a significance level of (α= 0.05) in the mean ranks of the pre- and post-training measurements, with a significance level ranging between (0.000-0.029), all of which were smaller than the significance level (α= 0.05). Consequently, the alternative hypothesis is accepted, favoring the post-training measurements with higher mean ranks, suggesting a notable increase in knowledge levels following the training course.