189 JAMS 3 (2) pp. 189–204 Intellect Limited 2011 Journal of African Media Studies Volume 3 Number 2 © 2011 Intellect Ltd Article. English language. doi: 10.1386/jams.3.2.189_1 MARLEEN DE WITTE VU University Amsterdam Business of the Spirit: Ghanaian broadcast media and the commercial exploitation of Pentecostalism ABSTRACT This article takes a critical look at Ghana’s rapidly evolving broadcasting scene and in particular at the expansion and popularity of religious broadcasting. Sketching the developments of the Ghanaian media landscape, it analyses the changing poli- tics of representing religion in this field. The much-celebrated processes of media deregulation and democratization, and the new opportunities for ownership, produc- tion, and participation they entail, have led to a dominance of Pentecostalism in the public sphere. While this development has been analysed from the perspective of churches and pastors, this article explores the intertwinement of commercial media and Pentecostalism from the perspective of a number of private media owners and producers in Accra. Whether these media entrepreneurs are themselves Pentecostal or not, they all have to deal with, and commercially exploit, the power and attrac- tion of Pentecostalism. Their experience that commercial success is hardly possi- ble without Pentecostalism makes clear that the influence of Pentecostalism in the Ghanaian public sphere reaches way beyond media-active pastors and born-again KEYWORDS broadcasting media deregulation Pentecostalism business Ghana 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. JAMS_3.2_de Witte_189-204.indd 189 JAMS_3.2_de Witte_189-204.indd 189 5/16/11 1:54:02 PM 5/16/11 1:54:02 PM Copyright 2011 Intellect Ltd Not for distribution