Search
  1. Home
  2. West Africa
  3. Liberia

Government denies independent radio shortwave frequency

    ABIDJAN

    The ministry of information said that independent Star radio, set up in July 1997 to promote democracy in post-war Liberia, will not be permitted to operate a short-wave radio frequency, pro-government Radio Liberia International (RLI) reported last Friday.

    The information ministry's pronouncement comes after several appeals to the government to allow Star to operate on a shortwave frequency, which it has not used since October 1998.

    The only non-Liberian organisations permitted to operate short-wave stations are religious institutions, RLI cites the ministry as saying. Star radio does not fall into this category, the ministry statement said, because although it is managed and staffed by Liberians and controlled by a Liberian board of directors it is still owned by the Hirondelle
    Foundation, a Swiss-based NGO.

    Star's broadcasts are currently available in and around Monrovia and some see the refusal to reinstate Star radio's shortwave frequency as a ploy to keep rural dwellers deliberately uninformed about what is happening in the country, news organisations reported.

    In an appeal for support dated 16 February Star Radio said that it faced an "immediate funding gap" and that it would be forced to shut down at the end of the month if assistance was not received.

    "The goal for Star radio is to become a sustainable Liberian institution that will continue to contribute to the growth of democracy, peace, and development in Liberia," according to the Star radio appeal. "The station may never get the chance to achieve that goal if it cannot get through the
    next few months."

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

    Share this article

    Our ability to deliver compelling, field-based reporting on humanitarian crises rests on a few key principles: deep expertise, an unwavering commitment to amplifying affected voices, and a belief in the power of independent journalism to drive real change.

    We need your help to sustain and expand our work. Your donation will support our unique approach to journalism, helping fund everything from field-based investigations to the innovative storytelling that ensures marginalised voices are heard.

    Please consider joining our membership programme. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful impact on how the world responds to crises.

    Become a member of The New Humanitarian

    Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

    Join