She said subsuming the role of the NCA under the NMC would make for the proper regulation and monitoring of television and radio stations that had been granted licences and frequencies to operate.<\/p>\n
\u201cGhana must rethink and correct the anomaly in the allocation and regulation of frequencies. Regulation must go with the allocation of frequencies,\u201d she stated.<\/p>\n
Rev Aryee was delivering the keynote address as the guest of honour at a roundtable discussion organised by the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), in collaboration with Star-Ghana, on \u201cMedia Ethics and Transparency in Frequency Allocation\u201d .<\/p>\n
Transparency<\/strong><\/p>\n Urging the promotion of excellence as opposed to mediocrity, she said \u201cwe must make the transparency in granting frequencies and licences the order of the day\u201d.<\/p>\n She noted that \u201cwrong things get done when there is no transparency. When there is no transparency there is always the temptation to do what is wrong because nobody is watching.\u201d<\/p>\n Rev. Aryee called for an end to cronyism in the allocation of frequencies and for the media to be used to develop the nation.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople in the NCA must see themselves as part of the media fraternity and become ethical,\u201d she advised.<\/p>\n Admitting that pluralism and liberalisation of the airwaves came with some undesirables, she said that situation informed the need for standards.<\/p>\n Pluralism must not cause us to do things in such a way that some people will hold us to a tyrannical position, she said.<\/p>\n Ethical Behaviour and Excellence<\/strong><\/p>\n Rev Aryee said ethical behaviour was critical in the media because of the power the media wielded, adding that unfettered power resulted in tyranny.<\/p>\n \u201cThe media owes it to itself, the profession and the people it serves, to be ethical. Media content needs to be undergirded with ethics,\u201d she stated.<\/p>\n Rev Aryee noted that excellence of the media laid in critical thinking about issues and urged journalists to pursue excellence or fade into oblivion.<\/p>\n \u201cOur democracy will become more vibrant with an informed public so that politicians can no longer buy votes,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Quoting from the American journalists\u2019 code of ethics, Dr Aryee outlined four principles to be followed by the Ghanaian media \u2013 \u201cSeek truth and report it, minimize harm, act independently and be accountable and transparent.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n