Broadcast Authority to Grant License to 3 Radio Stations

Addis  Ababa October  30/2019 The Ethiopian Broadcast Authority (EBA) disclosed that it has issued a tender notice to license three new commercial radio stations in Addis Ababa.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, EBA Deputy Director-General Wondwosen Andualem said three new radio stations will be granted licenses to operate in the capital city.

The growing number of the media in the country will create opportunity to entertain diverse ideas, he added.

He, nonetheless, pointed out that licenses will not be issued for radio stations outside Addis Ababa this Ethiopian fiscal year. Instead, focus will be made on strengthening the existing community radio stations.

According to him, community radio stations have been facing various challenges, including lack of capacity of professionals, administration, and equipment.

Wondwosen pointed out that the authority has been undertaking several measures to empower the existing media stations in general in order to help them meet their responsibilities.

In this regard, the authority plans to build a mass media capacity building center within two years in collaboration with the government of Qatar.

The center will be furnished with various equipment that are useful for on-the-job training both for print and broadcast media.

Research conducted in the sector show that radio is the main source of news and information in Ethiopia, especially in the rural areas where 80 percent of the population lives.

To date, 70 commercial radio and community radio stations have received broadcast licenses from the Ethiopian Broadcast Authority (EBA), it was leaned.