Mr. Andrews Danso Ahenkorah, President of the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), has intimated that managing the multiple broadcasting channels in the country is a challenge.
Speaking during an interview, he indicated that in recent times the country is getting variety and multiple channels of radio and television.
His comments follow the recent teenage murder case at Kasoa which has been attributed to the constant appearances of spiritualists on the various media platforms.
“You will agree with me that it is a challenge to all of us. That is, how to manage the multiple channels. We’ve made you aware of these challenges;and the discussions will continue as to how best we can manage this. Fortunately, before the incident, GIBA in collaboration with other stakeholders: the NMC, Ministry of Information and the communication;and GJA etc. have been meeting to discuss some of the issues.
“We probably have not been able to speed up discussions to come to conclusion, especially;when it comes to classification. And it’s one of the issues that we are discussing.”
Andrews Ahenkorah
Media organizations must educate
Mr Ahenkorah further suggested that the association and the various media organizations also need to get some form of classification and education for people to understand their line of operation.
“We agree, we have to look at this. When it comes to a live program like this, we need to look at who comes on it, what you have to discuss on air and how it is to be communicated. These are very important issues we need to look at.
“If we are able to do that, we know that will not be 100% guaranteed at least but; we know we will achieve some kind of results. If society continues the discussion, we will then finetune to get the results we are supposed to get.”
Andrews Ahenkorah
Broadcast organizations cannot be forced to join an association
Speaking on if it will be possible to demand various independent broadcasting organizations to belong to a professional body;or association before being able to transmit something on the airwaves, he said this was not possible.
He further explained that, this was so because, the constitution of Ghana allowed for freedom of association and due to that no one can be forced to join an association.
“Unfortunately, the constitution of the country allows for freedom of association. And therefore probably when we make a professional body;for anybody who practices any form of broadcasting, then it becomes mandatory.”
Andrews Ahenkorah
He further suggested that, what ought to be done at the moment is for them to strengthen their monitoring activities.
“We need to be able to tell who these people are and where are they located. Now, if you have a system of locating anybody who is practising broadcasting,;it makes it easier for you to identify where they are. It also makes it easier for us to send information to them.”
Andrews Ahenkorah
He was also of the view that, due to the circumstance in which the broadcasting community finds itself, this is the time the National Media Commission should call various stakeholders together to deliberate on issues to propose solutions.
“…to ask which direction should we go, what do we have and how can we use it.”
Andrews Ahenkorah
