Factors influencing choice of pay television: a case study of Makindye division, Kampala

Abstract

The Pay-Television market in Uganda is a diverse platform with people currently having a variety of service providers to choose from. This is because of the digital migration process that saw new service providers enter the formerly monopolized market. The existence of these alternatives makes the choice made by people vary greatly on a personal level. What works for one person may not necessarily work for another and this is evidenced by the varying number of customers that subscribe to each Pay-Television. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence people’s choice of Pay-Television and further understand the dynamics of choice within this market. The study employed a cross-sectional survey utilizing a multi-stage random sampling strategy to come up with a sample representative of the population of Makindye Division. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaires and it was analyzed on a univariate, bivariate and multivariate level using STATA. According to the findings of this study, it was concluded that age, occupation status, income earned, subscription cost per month, geographical location, type of programs aired and quality of content broadcast were among the significant factors that influence people’s choice of Pay-Television. Recommendations are made to the government to regulate the market so that customers get value for their money in form of good service. Pay-Televisions should also tailor their products to try and capture as many customers as possible from every demographic.