GBARNGA, Bong County – Gbarnga recently came alive as community radio leaders from across Bong County gathered for a two-day workshop aimed at charting a resilient and unified path forward for rural broadcasting.
Spearheaded by the Bong Community Radio Network (BONCONET), the event brought together station managers and financial officers under the leadership of Samuel Dorweh (President), Uriah Mitchell (Vice President), Winston Polonore (Secretary-General), and Victor C.B. Smith (Financial Secretary). Their mission: to strengthen community radio through capacity-building, financial sustainability, and renewed cooperation.
“We asked for just two days, and we made them count,” Dorweh told attendees. “We reflected on our mission—to inform, educate, and uplift. But more importantly, we tackled the urgent financial and operational hurdles facing our stations.”
Building Stronger Foundations
The training, led by seasoned media expert Jefferson Togbah Massah, featured practical sessions and interactive discussions centered on:
- Core principles and community engagement in radio broadcasting
- Technical know-how for maintaining broadcasting equipment
- Innovative fundraising through agriculture and small business models
- Transparent financial practices and public accountability
- Station management and governance
- Long-term strategies for sustainability
With many stations battling declining revenue, obsolete equipment, and unmotivated staff due to lack of pay, participants welcomed the training as timely and necessary.
“We’ve leaned too heavily on airtime sales,” said one participant. “If we don’t branch out, we’ll shut down.”
Ideas flowed—from farming and digital content monetization to AI-powered programming—as participants explored alternative income streams.
Massah emphasized the importance of leadership beyond journalism.
“We can’t keep focusing only on reporters,” he noted. “Boards, managers, and finance teams need just as much training. Strong institutions will produce strong stations.”
Challenges Persist, But Hope Prevails
Community radio remains a lifeline in Liberia’s rural areas, delivering civic education, cultural content, agricultural advice, and emergency alerts. Yet, many stations, like Radio Kokoyah, face severe obstacles: damaged transmitters, persistent power issues, and disengaged governance boards.
“Sometimes, our transmitter fails and no one knows how to fix it,” said Peter Johnson of Radio Gbartala. “This training showed us how vital equipment management is.”
Others echoed the call for broader board education.
“Our board members can do more, but they need to understand the radio ecosystem,” one participant stressed.
Rebuilding Bonds Across Stations
Beyond technical training, BONCONET used the workshop to revive unity among broadcasters.
“There was a time we freely walked into each other’s studios,” Dorweh reminisced. “That unity has faded. We must bring it back. No matter our differences, we all serve the people of Bong.”
Participants from Palala, Botota, and other towns echoed this desire for collaboration, calling for deeper partnerships that transcend politics, religion, or institutional divides.
BONCONET’s Bold Vision Forward
The network’s new four-year strategic plan sets out two key priorities:
“We’re close to securing land for this dream center,” Dorweh revealed. “It will be the heartbeat of community radio in Bong.”
The initiative drew strong praise. Cooper from Voice of Reconciliation in Palala praised the practical focus of the sessions, while Tutu of Bomi Radio highlighted her station’s recent storm damage and called for emergency support for struggling stations.
Participants also pushed for expanded training in digital literacy, AI tools, and social media audience-building, particularly through platforms like WhatsApp and YouTube.
Support and Words of Wisdom
Miller Bono of the Bong County Council applauded BONCONET’s leadership.
“Accountable leadership deserves recognition,” he said. “We’re witnessing real progress.”
Veteran broadcaster and Super Bongese Radio CEO James Dorbor Sao, also a former Deputy Finance Minister, urged managers to stay mission-driven.
“Don’t just sell airtime—sell value,” he advised. “If no one’s listening, the airtime is worthless. Content and community trust are everything.”
He also encouraged stronger relationships between stations and their founding bodies, whether churches, universities, or community groups.
“Know your roots, stay true to your identity, and serve the people,” Sao added. “That’s how support comes.”
A Movement Renewed
As the workshop concluded, many participants left inspired—not just with new tools, but with renewed purpose.
For BONCONET, mere survival is no longer the goal. The path forward is about innovation, growth, and shared responsibility. Community radio is more than a platform—it’s a grassroots movement shaped by and for the communities it serves.
“In knowing who we are, we rise,” Dorweh said in his closing remarks. “This is only the beginning.”
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