Towards sustainable business model for community radios in Tanzania

I am about to end my assignment with the Business Environment Strengthening for Tanzania (BEST-Dialogue) on capacity building for community radios within the Lake Zone.

This assignment which is aimed at designing a tailored business mode that can enable community radios to have collaborative marketing approach has indeed inspired me and perhaps changed my perception on the right marketing approach for community radios in Tanzania.

The recent reclassification of the radios by the Tanzania Communication regulatory Authority (TCRA) implies that all radios in Tanzania will be limited to the following categorization; community radio, commercial radio and public radio.

With these new categorizations surely community radio need to find sustainable ways of working together in order to improve their marketability and ultimately boost their revenue through collaborative approaches.

During my assignment, I had an opportunity to hear experience on how community radio operates in other countries. Mr Ssemakula from Uganda – whom we co facilitated the training had briefed me on how the common business model had proved successful for community radios in Uganda and West Africa.

Listening to his testimonies I came to learn that in Tanzania community radio have all it takes for sustainability only they are yet to find a common platform for exploring opportunity for sustainable market; perhaps due to their selfishness and their reluctant to learn from the effects of Dambisa Moyo’s “the winner takes it all”.

The proposed business model is simple and clear. It just need the consensus of community radio in establishing the common platform, and defined way of sharing revenues while considering individuals efforts in their collaborative marketing approaches.

Pragmatically the business model challenges community radios to use the common wider coverage and high number of audience to attract adverts from commercial companies and NGO’s.

While traditional marketing approaches are focused on individual community radio soliciting adverts from commercial companies as their main sources of revenues; the proposed business model offers alternative approach that is embedded in the collaborative marketing approaches that considers the extent of potential and efforts used in sharing revenues.

The shift to non traditional sources of revenues such as adverts from NGO’s and humanitarian organizations is one of key ingredients provided by the proposed model.

While radios (both community and others) are facing the challenge of revenues decrease – a situation which threatens their sustainability; community radio managers and owners should not neglect this opportunity of using the proposed business model.

Well, it might need some tailoring to meet the local need of communities in Tanzania; the implementation strategy worth a try if stakeholders’ commitment is guaranteed.

With recent community radios’ platform offered by the Tanzania Development Information Organization (TADIO) and the Community Radios Network (CRN) – a network funded by BEST-D, and aimed at providing common platform for community radios in Tanzania; community radios should remain focused in collaborative approaches offered by the proposed business model.

It is time for community radios to sacrifice their individual interest and embark on the quest for the sustainability of all community radios in Tanzania.

It may take us some time but once operational the results will worth enjoying.

Mr Mrawa is an assistant lecturer at Saint Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), consultant & business development services provider