Ghana’s Radio Landscape ‘Oversaturated’ – Sam George

The Minister of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Sam Nartey George, has said the National Communications Authority’s (NCA) authorisation for over 600 radio frequencies was a “reckless and excessive distribution of radio frequencies in Ghana.”

In a television interview on The Point of View programme on Channel One television on Monday night, [April 14, 2025], Sam George said the current media landscape in Ghana was oversaturated, with over 600 frequency authorisations granted—an issue he believes is detrimental to the industry’s growth.

“I think we’ve abused the assignment of frequency authorisation. A country like Ghana should not have in excess of 600 frequency authorisations — it’s inimical to the growth of your business,” he remarked.

The Minister suggested that he would drastically reduce the number of authorised radio stations to fewer than 100 if given the opportunity, though he acknowledged that such an action could be politically misrepresented.

“If you leave me, I will rationalise this and you will have less than a hundred radio stations, but the next thing you hear is Sam George is shutting radio stations,” he stated.

Mr George criticised many of the current frequency holders, accusing them of failing to function as legitimate broadcasting institutions.

Instead, he said they serve largely as platforms for syndicated political talk shows and repeated news content, lacking original production.

“You need to set KPIs for what a radio station really is. Many people are holding authorisation today and they are not doing any production. They just hold political shows and then they just repeat and syndicate radio news,” he explained.

He proposed the establishment of strict Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to evaluate radio stations, insisting that spectrum allocation should only go to broadcasters meeting clear operational standards.

“We must make a certain KPI benchmark. We can’t just be giving spectrum everywhere,” he stressed.

Mr George’s comment pointd to a likely overhaul of Ghana’s broadcasting regulatory framework, as the Ministry seeks to ensure a more efficient, performance-based approach to managing the nation’s limited radio spectrum.

He also revealed that 57 radio stations face the suspension of their frequencies due to breaches of broadcasting regulations.