This, he believes will help GBC effectively discharge its role as a public broadcaster.

[contextly_sidebar id=”6a77MrVl0L2rVOcsFgIr0BsTEK2heSpd”]The setting up of a special court by the Chief Justice to prosecute people for non-payment of TV license fees to the state broadcaster, has been met with mixed reactions.

While some have suggested that agencies like Ghana Standards Authority or the Ghana Revenue Authority should take charge of the collection of TV license fees instead of GBC, others have argued that the move is needless, given the fact that other countries are gradually moving towards abolishing the fees.

GBC has a crucial role

However, speaking on the Point Blank segment of Eyewitness News  on Thursday, Mr. Adom-Otchere took a different position, arguing that public broadcasting is a very important element in democratic development, hence the need for GBC to be supported financially to carry out its mandate.

“It is in support of establishing an institution called the public service broadcaster and a public service broadcaster  is a necessary institution for any development agenda especially of a developing country. All over the world, countries that have developed have always maintained a public service broadcaster.”

Unfounded criticisms

Mr. Adom-Otchere believes criticisms against the license fees and GBC in general, are unfounded, since the state broadcaster has over the years been denied the requisite resources needed to effectively discharge its duties.

“I get a sense of a very high rebellion on social media against the principle and I think the rebellion against state institutions must be measured. We should channel our energies of rebellion against politicians who are either corrupt or incompetent, but these regular rebellion against state institutions in the case of GBC now I am not sure it is sufficiently founded.”

“I have heard people say they will not pay because the content is poor, and I agree that the content is poor, but why is the content poor? Perhaps the content is poor because for the longest time, we have not been able to pay TV license. Any Ghanaian who is above the age of 20, or above the age of 40 would have had historically in his life, a certain memory GBC has brought into your home. GBC has covered all these events historically but we have not paid for it so if you look at it you can even consider that you are paying for the historical event for GBC …”

Some critics have suggested that the payment of TV License fees will not necessarily improve GBC’s content to enable them compete favourably.

No need for competition

Mr. Adom Otchere indicated that, “GBC ought not to be part of the competition” involving other media houses.

He believes GBC should rather be singled out as a state broadcaster and be equipped with the necessary resources to effectively deliver on its mandate.

“GBC ought not to be part of the competition -that is the whole point of a public service broadcaster. Take them out, strengthen them and let them be the public service broadcaster. Let them not worry about competition.”

GBC officially reintroduced the collection of the TV Licence fees in 2015, after years of putting it on hold due to non-payments.

Domestic TV users are to pay between GHc36 and GHc60 for one or more TV sets in a household, while TV set repairers and sales outlets are to pay an annual sum of between GHc60 to GHc240.

Officers at the some Revenue Offices of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), have said payments of TV license fees have been encouraging for the past few days.

This is how the TV License revenue is to be shared

GBC – 72%
GIBA – 15%
NMC – 4%
Media Development Fund – 4%
Films Fund – 2%
Management of TV Licence Fee (GBC) – 3%

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

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According to him, such monies should be accounted for before government looks at possible ways of helping GBC settle its indebtedness of about 44 million Ghana cedis.

[contextly_sidebar id=”ZPSk2ifO0job7s7sWz0UWkYcLCcw0ePb”]Contributing to the debate on the budget of the Information Ministry, which has oversight over GBC, Kyei Mensah-Bonsu called for a forensic audit into the activities of the state broadcaster.

“Mr. Speaker, the Ministry stands for transparency, accountability in government and GBC should radiate same principles. In the lead up to the elections, we know of private media houses that took advertisement from the various political parties. GBC and GTV in particular were inundated with several advertisements from various political parties. It will be interesting to know how much they earned and how much indeed was paid to them. It will help greatly in reducing the indebtedness to GBC.

“I will serve notice to the committee, as part of their oversight, let them indicate to us how many of such adverts GBC, both on radio and television took, and what were their earnings on radio and television. Mr. Speaker, let it be the assignment of the committee, before they talk to us about any indebtedness,” said the Majority Leader.

The GBC has been struggling to operate smoothly due to the huge debt owed various service providers including the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

The ECG has on several occasions disconnected some branches of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) over outstanding debts.

In November 2017, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation’s Garden City Radio in the Ashanti Region, was taken off air after the Electricity Company of Ghana disconnected the facility from the national grid, leaving management with no option than run on a standby plant.

The GBC is said to owe the power company about GHc 1.75 million.

GBC is not the only media institution that is struggling to settle huge debts. Metro TV, a private broadcaster, is battling with similar challenges.

On Tuesday, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) shut down the Accra-based television station reportedly over their failure to pay their taxes.

A visit by Citi Business News to the Cantonment premises of the television station revealed that, the GRA had restricted entry into the company with a seal of the Commissioner General.

The station was later reopened after it “made the necessary arrangements”.

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By: Marian Ansah & Duke Mensah Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post GBC must disclose proceeds from 2016 election – Kyei Mensah appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

GJA’s demand comes on the back of Akufo-Addo’s criticism of the state broadcaster, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) prior to the December 7 polls.

Akufo-Addo boycotted the presidential debate organized by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and GBC and accused the state broadcaster of acting “like a propaganda wing of the ruling party.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”xfu4DMNrGiMOuHzhTB1Hf4dzaQLF7gDA”]“The GJA has taken note of the President-elect’s accusation of the state-owned media of bias in their reportage. We on their behalf take the criticism in good faith. Although we do not wish to hold brief for them, we at the same time request that under Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration, the necessary reforms would be carried out to strengthen freedom and independence of the state-owned media in particular,”  the GJA said in a statement to congratulate the president-elect and signed by its President, Affail Monney.

GJA further urged the president-elect to pass the Broadcasting Law as well as the Right to Information Law which has been at the consideration stage for over a decade now.

“We are confident that the President-elect when he takes office would apply that same zeal in ensuring the enactment of a Broadcasting Law and the Right to Information Law, which was under wrangling in the out-going Parliament. Both laws will be crucial not only in promoting excellence in journalism but also improving the general information flow.”

Below is the full statement:

GJA Congratulates President-Elect Nana Akufo-Addo
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) wishes to congratulate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on his election as the President of Ghana. The Association considers his election to the highest office of the land a credit to his perseverance and tenacity in the service of Ghanaian politics, the defense of human rights and loyalty to democracy.

We note with admiration, his determination never to give up on his dreams of becoming President by contesting the position this year despite losing on two pervious occasions as flag-bearer of his party, the New Patriotic Party.

The Association is confident that his rise through the fight for democracy and political development in Ghana’s recent history, especially as a human rights activist through the Movement for Freedom and Justice, the “Kumipreko” demonstrations and his role in setting up the Ghana Committee for People’s and Human Rights, a non-governmental organization in defence and education on human rights in Ghana would continue to shape his plans and programmes concerning the development of the country.
The GJA recalls the critical role the First Gentleman of the land in-waiting played when he was Attorney-General and Minister of Justice under the Kufuor Administration in the repeal of the Criminal Libel and Sedition Law in August 2001.

His experience and expertise can therefore not be in doubt and we hope that he will bring them to bear, to enhance good governance and democratic development of Ghana.

We are confident that the President-elect when he takes office would apply that same zeal in ensuring the enactment of a Broadcasting Law and the Right to Information Law, which was under wrangling in the out-going Parliament. Both laws will be crucial not only in promoting excellence in journalism but also improving the general information flow.

The GJA has taken note of the President-elect’s accusation of the state-owned media of bias in their reportage. We on their behalf take the criticism in good faith. Although we do not wish to hold brief for them, we at the same time request that under Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration, the necessary reforms would be carried out to strengthen freedom and independence of the state-owned media in particular.

We have already cited the importance of the passage of a Broadcasting Law and Right to Information Law. The Association also proposes a system under which state-owned media houses which receive government subventions do not take them directly from any ministry but instead from the National Media Commission and with Parliamentary oversight. Such reforms are necessary to free state-owned media in particular from subtle governmental intimidation.

The GJA pledges to collaborate and support the continued promotion of press freedom and media accountability in Ghana, which we know the President-elect has always stood for. Although he has openly expressed his misgivings about excesses in the Ghanaian media, we hope he will remain a strong protagonist of freedom and independence of the media.

It is our hope that under his presidency Ghana will undertake policies and programmes that inspire excellence in the Ghanaian media.

The Association wishes the president-elect God’s guidance in his new position and assures him of the GJA’s cooperation in the enhancement of functional democracy.

SIGNED
Affail Monney

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

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The anti-corruption campaigners said its report on the abuse of incumbency and electoral corruption revealed the NDC had been allowed much airtime while other political parties have been given little or no opportunity on the various platforms of the state broadcaster.

Ghana’s 1992 Constitution enjoins state-owned media to give equal access and coverage to all political parties during campaign seasons in the run-up to elections.

But the GII says GBC has not observed the constitutional provision.

Spokesperson the GII’s Coalition on Abuse of Incumbency and Electoral Corruption, Edem Senanu told Citi News, its monitoring between June and August this year showed the NDC had enjoyed massive coverage to the disadvantage of other political parties.

“We found that generally, the information provided by these state media platforms was biased. This is because some political parties were given more time and space by the state media platform in comparison with others and therefore others were at a disadvantage. For the period, June to August, we found that NDC had 49 per cent, NPP had 19 per cent,” he said.

Edem Senanu said although the development may be unintentional, the state broadcaster needs to look at its internal processes to ensure a fair balance and equity in the opportunities offered to all the political parties represented in this year’s elections.

‘Mahama’s sharing of outboard motors abuse of incumbency’

The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), had earlier accused President John Mahama of abusing incumbency and indulging in electoral corruption, for distributing outboard motors to Fisher folks during his campaign tour of the Western Region in August.

According to GII, this abuse of incumbency became apparent when the Spokesperson of the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) campaign, Joyce Bawa Bogtari, revealed to the media that the distribution of the outboard motors and other items formed part of the state’s interventions.

The Executive Director of GII had previously chided President Mahama for the distribution describing it as worse than vote buying.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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