I feel moved and motivated to make my personal input geared towards concerns raised by various stakeholders about the issue at stake in promoting a better public broadcasting service through SLBC.
From my fifteen years media experience within and outside Sierra Leone borders I have long foreseen the challenges that the former SLBS will face after its transformation into a Corporation now called SLBC. This means it has become a legal entity that is separate and distinct from government. The Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation is suppose to enjoy most of the rights and responsibilities that an individual possesses that is, it has the right to enter into contracts, loan and borrow money, sue and be sued, hire employees, own assets and pay taxes, etc.
As a public service broadcasting compared to others around the globe, it is based on the principles of universality of service, diversity of programming, provision for minority audiences including the disadvantaged, sustaining an informed electorate, and cultural and educational enrichment.
This concept I believe was conceived and fostered within an overarching ideal of cultural and intellectual enlightenment of the Sierra Leonean society.
The process of this transformation into a corporation would have been much simpler if it was singularly the SLBS which was the state owned broadcaster. It is some how a complex situation now where as it has inherited not only broadcast equipment and technologies from the former UN Radio but has also incorporated most of its key personnel.
The problem of maintaining the status quo among other issues now arises including salary, position of appointment, job descriptions, shift from area of specialisation especially those from the former UN radio who now want to been seen and heard on TV live, etc. Indeed this is a big challenge for the current management if they lack the technical expertise to handle such situations.
I want to tow the line of Umaru Fofanah on his beat in the Awoko online Newspaper dated July 14 2010, titled ‘SLBC, Not too late to Save’.
From my personal perspective, devoid of political interferences and influence in the face of the proliferation of the new media, the new economic environment characterized by the globalization of markets and competition, technological explosion and new management styles, of necessity, SLBC must evolve new strategies to cope with this fast changing environment:
Strive to be politically independent that is keep politics out of corporate management by advocating and lobbying for a management board that is empowered with the freedom and the responsibility to design and implement management policies. Act in the public interest to be credible and to win trust and make politicians and insist on the Government to pay for the public service programming at market rate.
Rebranding new company logo and station identifications aimed at reflecting the country’s vibrant contemporary culture and its strong heritage. These changes should also affect all areas of business including the website.
Upgrading Technology by harnessing the potential of new technology to reach more audiences and a wider range of opportunities. Incrementally upgrade the technology especially in the studios and adopt new technology in the production of programmes and in sharing of information between various users, units and partners.
Developing a lean organization Structures
I expect the new management to develop flexible organization structures that allows for dynamic management capable of marketing your unique benefits to the audience within a context of growing and aggressive competition. Allow a division of labour. The management should be empowered to take rapid decisions in order to survive competition.
The management should de-layer the corporate hierarchy to a reasonable level and sweep away those restraints that put brakes on change and discourage initiative to facilitate the ability to anticipate the ephemeral nature of current services and designs and achieve a rapid response to audience needs and expectations.
Re-engineering Human Resources capabilities
It is expected that the new SLBC management should build a learning organization that will continuously upgrade the skills and knowledge base of the staff and management. They should also introduce performance contracts by making Salaries dependent on performance hence enhancing internal competition. And also pay staff competitively.
The Human Resource policies based on trust and empowerment should be developed and also eliminate job insecurity, give employees pride in their tasks and empower them to take initiative in organizing their work.
Encourage teamwork as this was totally lacking in all previous management. The only team work that existed was ‘monkey by tail’ Corruption.
The management should create and provide systems that provide comprehensive information that enable a balanced picture of performance to be created, made widely accessible and available fast.
Sourcing for diversified funding regime
Funding is very important to sustain the corporation and therefore the management should widen the sources of funding to include direct government subsidies, advertising revenue, market loans etc.
Developing collaborative partnerships
Co-operate and embark on partnerships with other institutions in the areas of programme production for instance USAID, NAS, NMJD, etc., staff development, ICT and technology upgrade and programme re-broadcast.
It is also very important that the management seek to train many staff by localizing overseas trainings, which are obtained through partnership, thus realizing economies of scale. This is now easy to be achieved as the University of Makeni can provide such training with updated facilities and broadcast equipment and qualified training staff.
Strengthen performance
Adapt business strategies to the rapid evolution of the environment, streamline operation, reduce operating costs and increase creative productivity.
Combine private sector’s profit motive plus public service regulation and increase budgets on programme research and production
Diversify product range
Launch new services to support and enhance the proposition to audiences. Management should offer greater choice and convenience, and enable SLBC to provide greater value for money. Encourage innovation, giving creative people more chances and ability to take risks and develop diversified and balanced programming without sacrificing quality thus winning the confidence of the public. Lastly;
Strengthen the marketing services
Reorient focus to become a consumer-based service and improve performance in terms of audience ratings and financial revenues. Management should undertake re-branding and re-launch by Changing channel identity- logos, sets, costumes, tempo and profile of the programs daily and weekly.
However, it’s important that SLBC as a public broadcaster embraces change; it must ensure that; it’s done within the confines of public service mandate; it develops diversified and balanced programming without sacrificing quality and embraces programming that reflects the diversity of the society.
In conclusion, the SLBC can and should be competitive in the marketplace.
It can do so and still retain its role and identity.
Creating compelling content and connecting with viewers and listeners is key to SLBC and its important that, in such a competitive digital age, you should keep your appearance fresh, contemporary and relevant, and deliver programmes that are good for viewers or listeners, and the creative industry in Sierra Leone.
By Emmanuel A. B. Turay In Nairobi