Masthembiso Lechela Mphezulu
QACHA’S NEK – In the effort to curb operational challenges facing community radio stations in Lesotho, MISA Lesotho is leading a series of fact-finding missions on the state of governance, operational, financial and programmatic viability and sustainability within a total of six community radio stations in the Mountain Kingdom.
Just this past weekend, a four-member MISA Lesotho team, led by National Director Lekhetho Makhanya Ntsukunyane, held a two-day meeting with the management of Radio Souru in Qacha’s Nek. The meeting unpacked issues of governance, financial and programme viability and sustainability regarding the radio station.
Among others, the fact-finding mission discussed corporate governance, structure of radio, compliance, regulatory and licensing, stakeholder management, collaboration and advocacy, technology and innovation, as well as strategic leadership.
Like the rest other community radio stations, Radio Souru faces grave challenges regarding its governance, financial and programme viability and sustainability.
Mr Ntsukunyane said: “The idea of community radio can survive with sponsorship and donations as advertising has proven to be a problem for them. The latter factor is promoted by the fact that there is little or no business or economic activity taking place in the districts”.
The small towns found in each districts, Mr Ntsukunyane added, were so small that they could not be trusted to support the growth of community media: “More so, the idea of advertising and marketing have not sunk to the existing small and few business ventures, most of which are micro and small enterprises,” Mr Ntsukunyane said.
From Radio Souru in Qacha’s Nek, the MISA Lesotho team is expected to visit Mose-ho-Seaka FM in Quthing, Motjoli FM in Thaba-Tseka, Moeling Multimedia in Botha-Bothe, Dope FM in Roma and Mafeteng Community Radio.
MISA Lesotho is performing these activities under its project named; Bridging the information gap in areas where mainstream media does not reach, through capacity-building of community radio, to regularly provide reliable and credible information to citizens and carry out civic education on the development agenda of the country.
The project is entirely funded by the US Embassy – Maseru, under the Public Diplomacy Grants, to tune of US$ 10,000.
