The Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafo says Ghana opened the airways for private participation in electronic media without any clear policy backed by a legislative instrument.
Mr Boadu-Ayeboafo who was addressing journalists at the commissioning of a press centre in the Volta Region noted that the absence of laws criminalising charlatanism within the electronic media makes it difficult for the NMC to act.
“There are about 400 radio stations and 20 TV stations without any clear policy guideline and that makes the work of the National Media Commission difficult. The Law says nothing is a crime unless it is so enshrined in the laws with a punishment prescribed for it and so how do we punish someone who goes on the radio to do something that is not enshrined in the criminal code?” Mr Boadu-Ayeboafo quizzed.
He suggested that laws be made to criminalise charlatanism in the media saying “if we all think that charlatanism on radio and TV must be criminalized, we must define it and add same to our criminal code so that there will be grounds to punish charlatans and it will not be lawlessness.”
Mr. Boadu Ayeboafo also noted that television programs are diffused with foreign material most of which have no value except to undermine Ghana’s culture.
Touching on the migration from analogue transmission to Digital Terrestrial Television (DDT), Mr Boadu-Ayeboafo said even though the concept offers hope, its implementation across Africa has been “fraught with political mischief, international deception and business sarcasm.”
GJA President Affail Monney who was full of praise for the Volta Regional Chairman of the GJA, Kafui Kanye said the press centre should shape journalism in the Volta region.