By Amin Kef (Ranger)

Media poverty has emerged as one of the greatest obstacles to the development of Sierra Leone’s media landscape, threatening the integrity, reach and sustainability of journalism across the country. As the nation continues to consolidate democracy and push for inclusive national development, the under-resourced state of its media institutions is raising serious concerns among professionals and stakeholders.

Media poverty, defined as the lack of adequate financial, technical, human and institutional resources, has left many newsrooms operating under extreme pressure; with direct consequences for media independence, journalistic standards and civic awareness.

“Media poverty is a silent crisis that is eroding the foundation of our democracy,” said Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ). “Most journalists in Sierra Leone work in poor conditions, with no regular salaries, little to no insurance or safety guarantees and very limited access to tools or training. This is not sustainable.”

According to SLAJ, the situation is most severe in regional areas, where community radios often rely on volunteers and face frequent shutdowns due to fuel shortages, broken transmitters or unpaid licenses. This has created what experts describe as “information deserts” in rural communities.

“The challenges are enormous. Without adequate support, these media houses can’t perform their basic function of informing the public and holding duty bearers accountable,” added Ahmed Sahid Nasralla.

The Independent Media Commission (IMC), the media regulatory body, shares similar concerns. In its 2024 Annual Review, the IMC noted a decline in operational media outlets compared to previous years, citing economic hardship and lack of commercial investment in the sector.

“We are seeing a regression in media reach and performance,” said Dr. Victor Massaquoi, Chairman of the IMC at that time. “The digital gap is also widening, as many outlets lack the resources to transition to online platforms or mobile news apps. In today’s world, if the media cannot evolve digitally, it risks becoming obsolete.”

Low pay and poor working conditions have also led to the migration of many experienced journalists to other professions or countries. This brain drain, stakeholders argue, weakens the sector’s capacity to carry out investigative journalism or in-depth reporting on governance, corruption and social development issues.

Beyond the industry’s internal challenges, experts stress that media development is essential for national progress.

“There can be no meaningful development without the media,” asserted Gareth Thompson, erstwhile Country Director of BBC Media Action in Sierra Leone. “Media enables transparency, promotes dialogue, educates the public and gives voice to those who are often excluded from decision-making processes. In fragile democracies like ours, it is the oxygen of accountability.”

BBC Media Action has supported various capacity-building projects in Sierra Leone, focusing on public interest programming, gender inclusion and media for development. However, the organization maintains that short-term donor support cannot substitute for long-term structural investment.

“Sustainable media development requires national ownership and political will. The government must see media not as an enemy but as a partner in development,” stated Gareth Thompson during the period under review.

All three institutions, SLAJ, IMC and BBC Media Action, called for a national conversation around the future of the media in Sierra Leone. They advocated for reforms that include a media development fund, tax relief for independent outlets, improved working conditions for journalists and investment in digital migration.

While Sierra Leone advances the objectives of its Medium-Term National Development Plan and aims to reinforce democratic institutions, many argue that acknowledging and adequately supporting the media sector is not just important; it is urgent.

 “When the media is impoverished, democracy suffers. When democracy suffers, development slows. It’s a chain reaction,” posited SLAJ’s President.

  https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/media-poverty-undermines-press-freedom-and-slows-democratic-progress-in-sierra-leone/