On the job for Radio Ndeke Luka, in the Central African Republic. A debate on the radio s mission, live from Radio Ndeke Luka s main studio. In Central Africa, independent radio lags ten years behind the western part of the continent. Since then, only diocesan radio stations have been allowed to operate. They are only allowed to broadcast within a 10-kilometre radius and cannot air political programmes.
Advertising can only come from local companies.
With regulations like these, it is no wonder that private radio is developing extremely slowly. This means that existing private radio stations are broadcasting illegally. The two countries are similar on several counts. Both were French colonies and lived through long years of military dictatorship after achieving independence in 1960. The people who govern here have not yet completely assimilated the values of collective action, freedom, tolerance and democracy.