Some of the most prominent FM radio stations in Montserrado County, according to the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), are in trouble with the broadcast regulatory authority due to non-compliance.
The LTA, responsible for managing Liberia's International Telecommunication Union (ITU) assigned spectrum, disclosed that most of the radio stations found to be in regulatory violation are due to delinquency over renewal of spectrum licenses.
The non-compliant radio stations, according to the LTA, include the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS/ELBC), Okay FM, Freedom FM, Prime FM, Truth FM, SKY Communications, Power FM, Kool FM, Kings FM, Hot FM, T-Five and Punch FM, among others.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, June 20, the Acting Chairperson of the LTA, Abdullah Kamara, emphasized the critical nature of spectrum management, stating, "Spectrum is a scarce, finite resource. Each country, regardless of its size, is allotted the same amount of spectrum. Frequency within our allotted spectrum is set aside specifically for FM broadcast use."
The LTA Acting Board of Commissioners presented their findings on the state of radio stations in Montserrado County, revealing two concerning lists. The first list includes 53 stations that were previously licensed but are now operating illegally due to non-payment of fees.
"Stations on this list have lapsed in their payments to the LTA and thus to the Republic of Liberia. They are using our finite spectrum resource illegally," Kamara explained. Of these, only 10 are currently in compliance, with two more having pending applications.
To be in compliance, radio stations must obtain a permit from the Ministry of Information, an assigned frequency from the LTA, a current business license, and a valid tax clearance.
"Some of these stations have not paid in years," Kamara noted. "They have just continued to operate, year in and year out, generating revenue, oblivious to their obligations to the Government."
The second list is even more troubling, featuring 17 stations that have never registered with the LTA. These stations operate illegally, having installed equipment without proper registration, often exposing employees to harmful radiation from transmitters.
"Most of these stations broadcast on any available frequency, causing interference with other stations. The proliferation of illegal stations in Montserrado County is so high that a moratorium has been placed on the issuance of new licenses," Kamara highlighted.
The LTA's Acting Chairperson stressed the urgency of addressing this issue to clean up the cluttered airwaves.
"The number of new applications on file for stations in Montserrado is huge. These are owners ready to pay for our frequency, but our landscape is so cluttered, new frequency assignments are impossible," he explained.
Kamara issued a call to action for non-compliant station owners. "We are issuing a call to all station owners in Montserrado who fall into one of the two categories to come to the LTA in Paynesville, and let's see how we can help get your station into compliance. We do not want to close any stations down, but if owners refuse to come in, they may lose their frequency to new applicants who are patiently waiting to start their station operations."
ELBC, which is owned by the Government of Liberia, is supposed to be exempt from payment of spectrum fees, a source within the LTA hinted the Daily Observer, but said that the state broadcaster has a second spectrum license that has not been in use for some time, which may be why the station made it to the list of non-compliant broadcasters.
However, the owners of two other independent broadcasters on the non-compliance list are newly appointed senior government officials. Christopher Hayes Onanuga, who was appointed by President Joseph N. Boakai as Ambassador-at-Large for Tourism, owns Kool FM, while Patrick Honnah, appointed by President Boakai as a commissioner at the LTA, owns Punch FM.
Immediately after the press conference, some of the media managers and owners, including those from SKY Communications, Okay FM, and Truth FM, were seen trying to initiate the process of renewing their respective licenses. While they admitted to LTA's claims of non-compliance, these broadcast executives expressed their dissatisfaction with broadcast frequency interference from other stations -- suggesting some discrepancy in getting value for money.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
However, Kamara assured that the LTA is committed to ensuring legitimate use of frequencies without interference.
"As stewards, we have to ensure that those who use our frequencies do so legitimately and without interference from others. This new Board of Commissioners is ushering in an era of greater transparency, accountability, and effectiveness in the management of FM frequency, providing a more sustainable environment for all in the broadcast industry," Kamara concluded.
Meanwhile, the press conference was also addressed by Acting Commissioners Ben A. Fofana, Commissioner Patrick Honnah, and Commissioner Clarence Massaquoi, among others.
