Radio Mogadishu was established during the colonial period, airing initially in Somali and Italian (the language of their colonizers). After Somalia gained its independence in 1960, the broadcaster started to offer programs in Amharic and Oromo, too. The station was shut down when the civil war began in 1991. It was relaunched in the early 2000s. Now, the station also offers news in Arabic and English.
Media assets
Radio: Radio Mogadishu
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
Radio Mogadishu is owned by the federal government of Somalia. The broadcaster is accountable to the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, which appoints its management. Radio Mogadishu is presented as a department on the ministry’s website.
Source of funding and budget
There is no information about the budget of Radio Mogadishu. According to local journalists and foreign experts specializing in Somalia, the broadcaster is fully funded by the government.
Editorial independence
Radio Mogadishu has had a long history of government propaganda. To this day, the station is mostly focused on political issues and its coverage is openly favorable to the government.
There is no domestic statute and no independent mechanism to validate the editorial independence of Radio Mogadishu.
September 2023