GABON - AFRICA N°1: 50 years ago, in October 1974, the President of the Gabonese Republic, Omar Bongo decided to equip his country with a high-power international broadcasting center, via short airwaves. "The Voice of Renovation" will be heard worldwide.
An African initiative? Not quite, his advisor: Jacques Foccart, the "Mr. Africa" of the Presidents of Gaulle and Pompidou, presents the project to him as "Bango speaks to the World!" ». Foccart's argument seduces the megalo president.
This will be the most powerful transmitter center in Africa!
4 500kw short wave transmitters Thomson-C.S.F. powered by the Poubara power plant and an emergency power plant built in the center and consists of 2 main groups and even a reserve group capable of developing 4,000 Kw.
20 curtain antennas ensure azimut broadcast.
Cost of work 3 billion CFA francs, expected duration: 30 months. The site is located in Moyabi in the southeast of the country about 600 km from the Gabonese capital (1°40'34.4"S 13°17'58.0"E).
National Highway 5 is even diverted to serve and admire the transmitter center. This one is connected by the hertzien beam that takes Libreville back to Franceville. The programs must arrive from Libreville, and 2 studios must be installed in Libreville in the new regional center of the Gabonese Television Broadcasting.
A megalo project, that Gabon cannot afford. Would the President have been badly advised or did Foccart have another idea?
He is always the savior coming It didn't come down from the sky, but from Boujon Street in Paris... It's the SOFIRAD!
On February 1, 1981, Africa #1 takes control and the "Voice of Renovation" project is abandoned. It makes place in Africa n°1 the pan-African radio, a mixed economy company with a capital of 100 million CFA Francs in which SOFIRAD found.
A good deal for SOFIRAD because for the first ten years, it is President Bongo's money that sponges the losses.
In 1991 the financial balance was finally achieved, partly thanks to advertising, but above all thanks to renting the transmitters.
Main client was RFI renting 1 transmitter from Moyabi 22hrs/day. Other clients were SSR (Switzerland) and NHK (Japan). Over the years, all these stations have gradually stopped broadcasting on short air and none of these broadcasters are renting Africa's #1 broadcasters.
This disinterest of short air was due to the deployment of international FM broadcasters in major African cities.
Radio Africa #1 understood it too late and the lack of financial means has delayed the frequency modulation implants. Africa n°1 had only 20 FM frequencies in Africa while RFI had a hundred.
2002. It's the withdrawal of the SOFIRAD, the Parisian antenna is privatized. For the installations in Gabon, they had to be taken over by the R.F.I. In partnership with the Boloré group. Faced with the landings of the Gabonese party, RFI renounces in 2003 to resume 40% participation of Sofirad.
The Gabonese State must find a new partner, the Libyan Jamahirya Broadcasting is running in 2006 and has put $5 million on the table to take over SOFIRAD's shares. On the other hand, the state had to clear the liabilities of the company and pay the rights and compensation owed to 50% of the employees who were laid off.
L.J.B. takes the majority in 2007. The Gabonese state once majority in the capital no longer holds 35 percent of the shares and 13 percent is held by Gabonese private.
Nothing moves regarding the network: the redeployment promised by Libyans will never happen! Only one FM transmitter was added in 2010 in Tripoli, the new shareholder feief.
Often the station is forced into silence following strikes or non-payment of its suppliers;
In 2010, LJBC cededed its share to Libya Africa Media and Publishing Company Africa Portfolio: investment fund held by Chief Cabinet of Muammar al-Kaddafi.
The government also announces the launch of Africa’s No.1 TV and a €8.5 million investment aimed at strengthening workforce and rehabilitating the FM network and installing a 300kW transmitter to power Moyabi’s.
And then nothing. The planned investments do not take place. Moyabi transmitter center is abandoned. Hidden behind tall grasses, making the site almost unrecognizable. A sad fate for this radio station, which was for several years, the most famous on the continent.
(Radio Magazine/06 Oct 2024)