https://zimbabwe.misa.org Impact of Covid 19 on Media Sustainability Broadcasting Private commercial radio The radio sector in South Africa, as represented by listed private sector radio company AME, appears also to have encountered adverse business conditions in the year to end-March, though less than the print sector. AME reported, “Low business confidence and challenging trading conditions placed further strain on our resources.” Overall, revenue for the financial year was flat and operating profit was down by 8% year-on-year, after adjusting for an unusual gain in the previous year. For its key radio station, Algoa FM, AME stated “Poor trading conditions since May 2019 combined with the cancellation of advertising from March 2020, due to the COVID-19 virus, resulted in lower than anticipated profitability for the year.” Most of the private commercial radio sector is unlisted, and financial information is closely guarded. Major radio group and web news producer Primedia, as noted above, when announcing the start of retrenchments at the group reportedly blamed a “challenging economic environment in South Africa, rapid technological change and new entrants in the media sector,” aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown.74 Yet – and this is a common paradox of media during the Covid-19 crisis – demand for some media shot up. 74. Reporter, “Primedia Group Starts Retrenchment Process.” 21