About 20 years ago most radio and television stations in Africa were mainly owned and controlled by governments.  The government controlled the television and radio news and programmes.  Soon after independence, Government operated Short Wave (SW), Medium Wave (MW) and FM radio stations were “…the first mass communication medium to reach many people because radios were relatively inexpensive.” 

During the era when government had monopoly over electronic media broadcasting, many individual citizens and corporate civil society claimed “the government is monopolizing the media so as to indoctrinate citizens with their propaganda agenda.  Citizens need media which will give objective news, programmes and views to the people.” 

Under pressure from civil society and human right activists and in the name of democracy, most African governments liberalized the media laws and allowed the private sector and civil society at large to take initiatives and establish private or community radio or television stations. 

Of late there is a good number of private, community radio and television stations operating alongside the government owned stations in almost all the major cities in Africa.  In applying for broadcasting licences, most private FM stations and Community FM radio stations included in their mission statement the phrase or idea of “giving a voice to the voiceless” or “providing citizens with an objective source of news”, “giving education thorough Interactive distant radio learning”, “giving people health and agricultural education through radio and television”, “entertainment and cultural preservation” or “supplementing the government efforts to making the media available to every corner of the country”.

LOP-SIDEDNESS

Today there is a good number of private FM and community radio or television stations.  Most private or community FM television or radio stations are located in the urban centres.  But to my surprise a large majority of the rural population is still without access to FM radio and television broadcasting.

For the rural population in remote areas of Africa, the government via the MW and SW broadcasting remains the only source of information and news.  Thus in Africa the effects of giving the voice to the voiceless is “… possible only in large urban centres where the large number of middle and upper-middle class citizens….” have access to radio and television broadcasting. All private radio and television stations run up and down scrounging for money from possible advertisers in urban centres.

Most people and organisations that own FM radio and television stations are not interested in giving “a voice to the voiceless”, they are only interested in monetary gain through advertisement.  About twelve years ago since African governments liberalized the media, 90% of Africa’s rural population is still waiting and longing for the “voice for the voiceless”.  For most countryside areas of Africa FM radio and television broadcasting is still a dream.

Advertising is the major source of income for most radio and television stations in Africa.  Not only does the advertising determine the programmes and content but also the location of the media.  Due to the limited or non-availability  of  money  in  the rural areas, most newly established private and community radio or television stations have focused their broadcasting coverage only in the major urban centres which have the capacity to advertise.

ADVERTISING

What is advertising? Advertising is a vital means to trade.  “Advertising is a means by which goods and services are offered for sale or requested for purchase.”  An advertisement carries an impersonal message paid for and controlled by the sponsor.  Advertising has many forms; commercials, promotions and public announcements.  “Advertising is neither the devil incarnate nor the saviour of our economic system”.

Advertising offers many advantages to both the business community, consumers and the media.  For the business community advertising creates new market for products.  For example, when the new brand of soap has been launched, consumers need to be informed about the product.

Advertising offers the consumer variety and freedom of choice.  With such a variety of merchandise in place, the consumer is at liberty to choose the soap according to his or her need or what he or she can afford in term of prices.

For the consumer advertising “…saves time and in today’s world it can save energy.  Let your eyes and ears do the driving as your fingers do the walking.” 

For the media advertising is the source of revenue.  Through advertising the media is able to gain some income for both profit making and sustaining the media operations.  Advertisers, media and the consumers need each other for the smooth business operation.

Advertising is not without blame; advertising has some disadvantages too.  While pursuing its commercial interest, advertising hold media consumers at ransom.  Though it is true that advertisers   respond  to  people’s needs, it is also true that sometimes advertisers determine and control both the content and the programme layout of the television and radio broadcasting. The kind of programmes the advertisers are willing to sponsor are the programmes which will be shown on the screen or aired. With advertisers sponsoring programmes, viewers or listeners have no choice over the programmes to watch.  Thus through sponsorship, advertising determines the kind of information available to the consumer.

Due to the need for money, some media go out of their way to cater for the advertisers, without regard for consumer needs.  As long as the media is financially dependent on the advertisement, the media will not fairly and accurately serve consumers.

CONCLUSION

There should be a checks and balances mechanism to make sure that advertising with all its financial muscle does not exercise arbitrary power over the media and consumers.  For checks and balances mechanism, I hereby suggest that other than depending on the advertising as the sole source of income; the media should look for other independent sources of income in order to give viewers or listeners objective news and programmes.  Furthermore, the media should accurately and fairly pursue the truth.

Zampi Phiri, S.J.
Hekima College
Nairobi