ASSESSMENT OF THE CHALLENGES OF PRIVATE BROADCAST MEDIA IN BAUCHI STATE: A STUDY OF EAGLE RADIO AND ALBARKA RADIO BAUCHI

Private ownership of the broadcast media was not permitted in Nigeria until the broadcast sector was deregulated in 1992. Like its public counterparts, the private media in Nigeria is not without its challenges. So, the general objective is to assess the challenges of private broadcast media in Bauchi state. Specifically, the study addresses the challenges facing Eagle Radio and Albarka Radio Bauchi, to know the causes of the challenges facing the stations, how the challenges has affected their productivity and to suggest solutions to the challenges facing the stations. The study was anchored on the following theories: Advertising Revenue Model, Organizational Structure Theory, and Media Pluralism Theory. Qualitative research design was used in the study. Seven (7) participants were drawn out from the two stations using purposive sampling technique. In-depth interview was used to collect data for research and the collected data was analyzed using thematic technique. The findings revealed that both stations share similar challenges related to funding, operational costs, and technological disruption. However, Eagle Radio is more attuned to the broader socio-economic limitations of the Bauchi region, which they believe exacerbate their difficulties. Albarka Radio, on the other hand, appears to be more focused on adapting to technological changes, attempting to mitigate the negative impact through innovation and cutting costs. The study therefore concludes that private radio stations in Bauchi state face a lot of challenges. The study recommends that Private radio stations in Bauchi should innovate and device new means of funding in order to cater for the high running cost. Also, the must keep encouraging and 13 empowering its staff to not only multi-task, but also develop in skills that will keep them relevant in the industry.