By Godfred Amoaful
The first African Director of Ghana Television, Professor Alex Teye Quarmyne, is advocating for more attention to be given to the development of community radio stations.
He says the current number of community radio stations in Ghana is not encouraging; hence, “more attention is required in that regard”.
Prof. Quarmyne, in an interview with GBC News during his 95th birthday held at the Broadcasting House in Accra on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, made an appeal to stakeholders not to ignore community radio.
According to the National Communication Authority’s statistics, 747 FM broadcasting stations in Ghana have been given the authority to operate. Out of the total number of authorised FM broadcasting stations, 550 stations are currently operational as of the Fourth Quarter of 2023.
However, community radio constitutes 137 out of the total authorised number, as against 549 commercial radio stations.
Based on this, Prof. Alex Quarmyne argues that more needs to be done in the area of community radio since community radio stations play a vital role in promoting community development, fostering social cohesion, and empowering local voices.
“They serve as an important alternative to mainstream media by providing a platform for diverse and inclusive content that reflects the unique characteristics of each community.”
