Beyond the Screen and the Click: Reclaiming Ownership and Financial Sustainability in African Broadcasting

The media landscape of Africa has evolved dramatically, with broadcast networks reaching wider audiences than ever before. However, these organizations seem to be losing control over the relationship with their audiences and the financial benefits that come with it. At the Broadcasters Convention West Africa 2026 in Accra, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Shamima Muslim addressed this dilemma.

She pointed out, through the Writers’ Institute’s 2026 Digital News Report, that audience behaviors and technology have changed drastically.

Today's broadcast environment is no longer limited to local stations or nearby television channels. Global platforms now influence content discovery, audience data, and advertising revenue. In Ghana, for example, there are 571 FM stations and 124 television operators. However, Muslim reminded the audience that the sheer number of stations does not translate to financial stability, properly funded journalism, or value retention.

Broadcasters may have large social media followings and high viewership on platforms like Facebook. Yet, they often fail to monetize their content, have limited insights into their audience demographics, and do not receive any portion of the advertising revenue generated on these networks.

Muslim posed three critical questions for broadcasters to consider: Who constitutes your audience? What unique value do you provide? And how can you retain a fair share of the value you generate? To achieve commercial sustainability, media organizations should diversify their revenue streams. This could involve advertising, sponsorships, subscriptions, licensing, syndication, branded productions, events, and training.

Muslim emphasized that financial sustainability should support, rather than replace, the public value that broadcasters provide. Public service broadcasters must fulfill their duties of providing accurate, accessible, educational, and linguistically inclusive content. This commitment should be maintained without the constant threat of financial instability.