Problems hit Usisya Community Radio Station
Station’s supervisor for Usisya Community Radio Station in Nkhata Bay, Drainter Kamanga, has said the station is facing financial challenges, which forced it to temporarily shut down for days due to failure to pay for electricity bills.
He said: “We solely depend on adverts, which go as low as K300, so if such adverts do not come in, we are in trouble.”
Kamanga said the station is on the verge of closure if things do not change for the better.
the station
Jackson Tchuwa, an announcer at the station claiming he had not been paid for seven months, said the station is operating with one faulty recorder and four part-time presenters.
He said: “Our colleagues have quit in search of greener pastures with most of them joining teaching.”
Nkhata Bay North member of Parliament (MP) Ephraim Mganda-Chiume said he is aware of the problems.
He said: “It is true the station’s personnel are demotivated, but the station promotes the spirit of volunteering among the youth, the community needs to support the station through donations and advertisements.”
Since it hit the airwaves in 2012, the station has not started broadcasting news programmes as it still awaits authorisation from the district council and police to process identity cards for its reporters.
