Media Viability Needs Assessment

Abstract

KCOMNET through Umoja Radio for Peace (UR4P) project recently conducted a media viability needs assessment activity targeting 41 CRS. In 2021, the Media Futures East Africa Project, jointly implemented by the Aga Khan University’s Graduate School of Media & Communications and DW Akademie, investigated the state of innovation & media viability in Kenya. However, from the report presented, community radio was conspicuously missing out from the media viability needs analysis. The focus of was purely on print & commercial radio & television. This informed the need to conduct a media viability needs assessment for community radio. Cognizant of the fact that media viability needs assessment for community media is noticeably missing from recent studies, this assessment investigated the media viability needs of community radio. Media viability is the ability of media outlets to operate financially & editorially independently while still ensuring high-quality journalism. A media viability needs assessment is a process of identifying & assessing the needs of media outlets in order to support their long-term financial sustainability & empower them to produce high quality journalism in an editorially independent manner.