Monrovia – New tower being built from scratch to extend its transmission wave into far to reach areas, men working around the clock to have it completed in time, HOTT FM 107. 9 is on a rebound –one which would see the the launch of HOTT TV.
Report by Gboko Stewart, [email protected]
“For every entity, there has to be a time when you expand and improve your transmission,” says Bernard Benson, CEO of One Media House.
“You know radio station is evolving and these things happen every couple of years. With the amount of followers in the counties, we thought it wise to beef up our signal strength.”
“If people noticed right now, our signal is not even crossing even the Sinkor area—that is because we’re erecting another tower with the hope of beefing our power from 1,000 watts to 3,500 watts to ensure that people as far as Gbarpolu County and Zorzor and Bo Waterside, River Cess and beyond can get our transmission – it’s all about expanding our signal.
Known undisputedly as Liberia’s biggest and #1 private radio station, HOTT FM, started by a team of young Liberians and other partners, is the first Monrovia based station to explore its tentacles into the hinterland, opening branches in Bong and Nimba Counties.
Its fan base is Liberia’s youthful population which constitutes 65 percent of the country’s 4.1 million population.
Beyond that, it is engaged in philanthropic works, building the modern latrines in the neglected “Baby Ma” community in lower Brewerville and Ganta, Nimba County.
A 2011 survey by USAID, IREX and Social Impact found out that 86 percent of Liberians own a radio while 94.3 percent claimed to listen to a radio.
But the main cause of the installation and renovation works currently ongoing, Benson says, is for the launch of HOTT TV; and when the costs of the renovation works are tabulated, it comes at high a price in dollars and cents.
“HOTT TV was one of the main causes of these improvements and expansions. Our last installation—which the tower couldn’t handle the antenna system so we had to bring it down and re-enforce it,” he added.
“If it stands as planned, HOTT TV should her first transmission on August 1. When you try to do these things and when you try to do it right, there’s a whole lot of preparations there to be made and HOTT TV is just one of those improvements.”
“Just over the last two months, we’ve spent over almost US$50,000 on these improvements and I hope it stops there but you know, you can never say—it may go up a little bit more.”
Even as the station progresses with its planned launch of its television network, the political climate is also making it difficult for some politicians to do business as many think its leaning is towards the Liberty Party, a claim Benson has spurned.
“These are the problems with Liberians and Liberian business people—they love to assume without coming and getting the facts. We are an open radio station—open to any political party.”
Benson reveals that the improvement of the station is to attract advertisements, including political parties.
“We want to be a medium to get the message to the people so we are opened to do business with anybody and any political party—let that be known right here.
“I heard that this station was Benoni Urey’s station, Median Wisseh’s station, even one time they said it was the President’s station; so they are calling all these people names but the real owners of the station. Our doors are opened 24/7.”
Known for not mincing his words on all things Liberian, Benson lamented that not to have known that funds were set up for struggling businesses such as HOT FM is frustrating.
“Not only us, but there are many struggling businesses right above the water breathing and what is not even hearing about it—it’s going to die down and nobody is going to pay for these actions. Some of those things, we don’t pay attention to it—we have to forge ahead. “
Though HOTT FM is comfortably perched as primus inter pares (first amongst equals) in the Liberian media landscape, Benson added they aren’t complacent as it has taken a lot of steep hard work to reach its current position and the plan remains to continue working harder.
“As you know, we’ve been running the feeder branch stations in Ganta, Nimba County and Gbarnga, Bong County, over the last three to four years and now as soon as we can get the go ahead from the LTA on license and regulations certificate, we will start HOTT FM Buchanan.
“One thing—they’re not going to be on the same 107.9 frequency because the signal from is probably going to be as far as there so they’re probably be on a different frequency.”
Despite the monumental gains and inroads the station has made, finance has always been its biggest challenge, howbeit surmountable.
“In Liberia, we haven’t gotten used to the culture of advertising. People overlook the value of broadcasting. “
“Most radio stations are shortchanged by vendors—people who come and broadcast. If I’m selling a spot ten bucks and ten competitors are selling it for two bucks, nobody is going to look at me.”
For the foreseeable future, Benson sees HOTT FM and HOTT TV broadcasting across 80% of the country, including getting hooked on DSTV. “That is our goal,” he added.