ABSTRACT

The liberalization of the airwaves in the early 1990s and the promulgation of the National Communications Authority Act of 1996 (Act 524) resulted in broadcast pluralism in Ghana. The resultant increase in the number of radio stations has spawned a very competitive radio market in which radio stations compete for audiences to sell to advertisers. This study was done to find out how radio stations in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region of Ghana generated revenue to sustain themselves. The study sought to find out the challenges radio stations faced in trying to achieve financial sustainability and how advertisers and audiences influenced the content of the stations.

Data for this study were collected through in-depth interviews with the managers/ programmes managers of the radio stations.

The findings indicated that advertising was the main source of revenue for Wa radio stations. Other revenue streams for some of the stations were project implementation, subventions from shareholders, renting of masts to telecommunication companies. The study also revealed the radio stations were largely struggling to sustain themselves financially. Among the reasons for this struggle were, the large number of stations operating in Wa, the refusal of some big businesses to advertise on radio, the high utility bills and the huge amounts charged by the NCA for renewal of licenses.

The study recommended among other things that radio stations should be much more proactive and innovative in their marketing drive so as to improve their capacity to achieve financial sustainability.