This study examines the economy of broadcast media in Nigeria, with a particular focus on how heavy taxation affects media operations and overall industry sustainability. It investigates the financial pressures faced by broadcast media organizations and how these pressures influence their efficiency, content production, and long-term viability. The study was guided by four key objectives: assessing the impact of heavy taxation on operational efficiency in Nigerian broadcast media; examining how tax policies influence content production; identifying coping strategies used by media organizations to manage rising operational costs; and recommending policy reforms to improve the economic stability of the sector. A mixed-methods research design was adopted, combining survey data from media professionals with statistical analysis using Chi-square, Spearman’s Rank Correlation, and descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that heavy taxation significantly reduces the operational efficiency of broadcast media organizations. It also negatively affects the quality of content produced and increases the vulnerability of media houses to external influence due to financial constraints. Additionally, the study found that existing tax policies place considerable economic pressure on broadcast media, forcing many organizations to diversify their revenue streams in order to survive. In response to these challenges, the study recommends tax reforms, financial support systems, and targeted tax incentives for broadcast media organizations. Overall, the study concludes that without appropriate economic and policy interventions, heavy taxation could undermine the independence, quality, and sustainability of broadcast media in Nigeria.
Agbo et al. (2025) studied this question.