The Impact of Convergence and Digitalisation on the Radio Broadcasting Industry in Ghana

Abstract

The radio broadcasting sector in Ghana has undergone a substantial transformation due to the convergence of media technologies and the rapid digitisation of communication platforms. This study examines how digitalisation and convergence affect radio content production, audience participation, and the working challenges faced by radio stations. A structured questionnaire was filled out by a total of 150 industry professionals from public, private, and community radio stations in the Greater Accra Region using a quantitative research approach. Research findings reveal that the accuracy of the quality of radio content production has greatly changed due to digitalisation. Most radio stations have benefited from digital editing, online streaming, and multimedia in the improvement of quality and efficiency. Also, audience engagement has evolved since, nowadays, social media and digital platforms such as Facebook, Twitter(X), and Instagram are the major means for interaction that elicit real-time feedback and participation beyond the traditional call-in shows. Notwithstanding this development, the study finds other impediments to the full adoption of digitalisation, including high operating costs, inadequate technical capacity, poor connectivity of the Internet, and staff resistance to change. While 75% of respondents see digitalisation as vital for the future of radio broadcasting, only 27% feel that their stations are in any way equipped to become digitised first. The study concludes that even if digitalisation and convergence offer great opportunities for innovation in terms of content production, widening the audience base, and diversification of revenue, structural impediments need to be addressed to ensure a sustainable transformation into a digital environment. It recommends the development of digital infrastructure, capacity-building programs for practitioners in the industry, and policy frameworks to facilitate the seamless integration of digital tools in the Ghanaian radio industry. The findings contribute to ongoing conversations on media convergence on the continent and will assist broadcasters, policymakers, and media scholars as they comprehend and negotiate this new terrain of radio in the digital age.