Ethiopia’s Radio Fana Share Company has gone through a transformation to enable it to transmit other services in addition to its current shortwave and FM radio services. The station was established in 1994 as a share company, however, it has been broadcasting since 1985 when the current ruling party, the EPRDF, was fighting an insurgency against the military regime. The station is still associated with the EPRDF.
Now, 15 years after its official foundation it has become the Radio Fana Broadcast Company (RBC). According to sources at the radio station, the company has a plan to enter television. “It needs to meet preconditions to launch the new service, including technical and administrative assistance,” a source said.
Currently, Fana transmits its programmes from three stations based in Addis Ababa, Jimma and Gondar in Amharic, Oromiffa, Somali and Afar. It has announced a trial FM transmission in Mekele, Dessie and in Kersa, a small town in eastern Ethiopia, with the aim of reaching audiences in Dire Dawa and Harar. According to a source, Fana is also preparing to launch an FM radio transmission from Shashemene in the near future.
Yesterday, Fana inaugurated its 11 storey media complex on the compound of its former headquarters in Addis Ababa. The media complex, which is the first of its kind in the sector, was finished within 20 months by contractor Varnero at the cost of 65 million birr (US$3,928 million).
Fana FM is one of the main radio stations in Addis Ababa, attracting a big audience during its 18 hours per day of airtime. Currently, over 56 radio stations are transmitting in the country, including state, community and commercial operations. However, there are no private domestic TV channels. At present, only three private FM stations are transmitting, including Radio Fana.
(Source: capitalethiopia.com)
