Could the Starr 103.5 FM continue to shine?

I have heard many arguments raised with regards to the performance of Starr FM – the one year old Accra radio station. Now, while some seemed genuine, others were borne out of envy for the sudden performance of the station.

I was not in Ghana when the station began its operation on August 4, 2014 but got into the country the latter days of that same year to a very contentious acrimony towards Starr that I began monitoring its celebrity-host programs. What exacerbated the spite directed at Starr was the claim that it’s the most listened radio station in Accra. Colleagues at Joy FM and Citi FM – archrivals of Starr fed on this and smeared unnecessary mud on the many admired celebrities of the station – was not surprised. Many predictions were bandied around; that its many celebrities will quarrel among themselves over trivia matters as who’s competent; that Bola Ray (the inspirational CEO or Managing Director) of the station will jilt the media house over money issues and that the station would be sold before a year. Though not true, the validity of the other predictions would be known in a matter of years.

On August 4, 2014 Starr FM marked its first anniversary amidst thunderous noise that suffocated personnel of arch rival stations. Again, it was heavily descended upon by the vultures. I will neither act as a vulture nor an ostrich over the cacophony surrounding Starr FM 103.5 presence on the airwaves. While Starr is getting some things right, horribly it’s getting a lot wrong. To me, the issue has nothing to do with the competition with Joy FM and Citi FM but with creating a unique brand for Starr.

Starr is wrong:

1#: Starr FM leadership acts desperate:

Failure is a bedfellow of desperation. They harmonize into a discord sound. Many nascent organizations have floundered due to desperado acts by leadership. Starr FM is smeared with many stories of radical poaching and exchange of money because of its wants of celebrities or sellable personalities unto its platform. Many of these stories are unsavory to the point of swaying genuine listeners to either the other mushroom stations or established ones. The leadership got to prioritize an organized-self more than the reverse. It needs to collective for the task it has set for itself so long as the journey remain forward.

2#: Starr FM lacks the signature of authority:

The archrival stations of Starr FM will out-beat it because it lacks what I call an authority signature over many of its programs with special mentioning of its news. An authority signature program is created through creativity, innovation, right-thinking, and natural-flow of program hosts. It’s either the presenters have conflict with themselves or are unsuccessfully imitating someone else. Their voices seemed one reserved for entertainment platforms. The news is plus entertainment and minus credible stuffs. Another thing too is the under-resourced site of www.starfmonline.com which is neither authoritative nor empowering featuring many flawed articles and stories. Now let me put on record that, Joy FM, Citi FM and even Daily Graphic do have editing challenges on their platforms but they strive to maintain par excellence standard.

3#: Starr demands high standard but compromise on finish product:

It’s normal to want high commitment from employees and end up churning out sub-standard products. Sordidly, Starr finds itself in this situation. Leadership of the station demands maximum standard from its staff however, its programs seemed everything but creative to the audience. Recently, a friend cited ‘unnecessary pressure’ from the leadership as his reason for resigning from the station.

Starr is Right:

1#: You cannot help but to admire Starr FM:

Statistics have it that the average survival percentage of start-ups within a year is between 10% - 45%. However, the record of Starr FM survival within the spate of one year hovers around 45% - 60% showing an encouraging bill of healthy for the organization. It’s usually not an easy thing to do especially when you have celebrities with their many insignificant ego eating deep into their heart.

2#: Starr FM’s TOMA is phenomenal:

How do brands become household names? Why do particular products come to mind of customers when there’s the need for them? Top of Mind Awareness (TOMA) is a marketing-communication strategy for getting one’s product parked in the minds of the customers and Starr FM has succeeded in doing just that. Through many fashioned and rolled out strategies, Starr FM is now a household name tossing on the lips of backyard children making do with a partially pumped football on an un-levelled park. I’m not surprised Starr FM got ranked as the number one most listened FM station in Accra – they hate to hear this. It has created an ocean-like buzz around it that the probability of being in that top of mind position is significantly high.

3#: Starr FM is building its Audience:

Recently I told a friend of mine in a discussion on the campus of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) that, given the pace at which Starr is improvising and improving, chances are it would out-compete over-pampered stations like Joy FM and Citi FM. He opposed me only to raise a very shallow argument. If Joy FM continue to move at the disingenuous pace at which it’s throttling, I can predict its fortune in the next five to ten years -- it would not amount to much. It would assume the relic status of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and be out-competed. Though its many employees hate to hear this but it represent the truth.

Starr FM may not be 20 years but the station’s one year bodes well and spells a better fortune for the organization. It doesn’t have what Joy FM has got. Also Joy FM doesn’t have what Starr FM possesses – the antennae to make it. That determination to control the airwaves seems to be the motivation of its leadership. This can spur on greater works if its many celebrities learn to forego their egos for the common good.

You may not appreciate the importance of Starr FM till you begin to listen to Joy FM and Citi FM – they’re beefing their programs to match the baby in town. Now, the answer to my title question is YES. The Starr 103.5 could shine if it’s tactical, reasonable, responsible, and humane.