Abstract:
This study investigated audience attitudes to peak hour commercials. The objectives of the study were: to find out the level of exposure of the audience to peak hour commercials, to examine viewers’ extent of recall of commercials in peak hour programme, to find out viewers’ perception of commercial messages particularly during peak hour programmes and to find out viewers disposition to commercial messages during peak hour programmes. Survey research method was used for the study while questionnaire was the instrument of data collection. The sample size was 405 respondents while the sampling technique was multi-stage. The sample was drawn from three states from South East Nigeria namely, Anambra, Abia, and Enugu. The result of this study revealed that most (68%) of the respondents reported high exposure to peak hour commercials. The result further showed that 92% reported that they recall peak hour commercials. However, most (35.5%) of the respondents were found to have reported low extent of recall of peak hour commercials The result also revealed that 65% of the perceived peak hour commercials as interruption. Findings finally revealed that 57.1% reported that they are negatively disposed to peak hour commercials. The study concludes that respondents perceive peak hour commercials as interruption. The researcher recommends, among others, that the broadcast media should minimize the level of peak hour commercial interruption and the NBC should consider regulating the spate of peak hour commercial interruptions in Nigeria.
