The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) has held a public lecture to mark its 84th anniversary in Accra.
The Lecture was organised under the theme, “State of the State Broadcaster” to evaluate the performance of GBC over the years.
In her opening address, a member of the GBC Board, Dr Sarah Dzane said the Lecture is an opportunity to highlight 84 years of broadcasting educative, entertaining and informative content for the nation with focus also on the folks in the deprived areas.
She said GBC has contributed to the enlightenment of the general public and mentored most TV and radio stations through the training of their staff from the state broadcaster and also by the rental of its studios for various programmes and occasions. She said it is important for Ghanaians to be taxed to fulfill their responsibility of paying the TV license fees for the funding of the corporation as it marks its 84th year.
For his part, the Chairman of the National Media Commission, Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafo said that GBC is still relevant in the media landscape. He asked the staff not to be bothered with the responsibility of broadcasting mainly on national issues because the state broadcaster cannot sideline that.
He said even without funding, GBC should know that it is their national mandate that they are performing to the people.
He urged journalists to act professionally, work for their names and not towards political lines.
The Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said amidst the challenges of the Corporation which include financial constraints, identity crises, market share and commercialisation, the GBC has still lived up to its mandate and role over the years.
He said the government is working to refocus GBC and Public Service Broadcasting in these contemporary times.
The minister acknowledged the media coalition and other supporting groups for their contribution to the passage of the Right to Information Bill. With regards to the attacks on media practitioners, he said it is a collective responsibility to improve on and contribute to lifting the standards of the profession adding that the responsibility lies on all stakeholders.
He said government remains committed to supporting GBC.
The Founder of the Media Foundation for West Africa and Former Director-General of GBC, Prof Kwame Karikari said the GBC has sustained the wrath of military regimes and officials of the castle and troubles ministers of states and many more. He said it still reminds the nation of the beautiful tales of old.
He said the former President Kwame Nkrumah touching on on the mission of the State Broadcaster at the opening of TV in 1965 said it would be used to assist the educational and socialist transformation of the country’.
He said with change in governments, GBC has maintained its identity which includes contributing to agriculture, sports, culture and its broadcast in the local languages.
He added that GBC has been at the forefront of civic education and it is necessary to commend the Corporation for informing the country and staying away from partisan politics. He added that there is still room for improvement to promote professionalism within the media landscape.
THE STATE OF GBC
Professor Karikari said GBC’s role is respected by the 1992 Constitution and Ghana Broadcasting Act 1968.
He said a major challenge in managing GBC’s affairs is the tenure of office for Directors. According to him, the short tenure of office that has characterised various Directors and Board Members of the State Broadcaster is problematic.
Prof Karikari is also of the view that, where majority of Directors and departmental heads in GBC are in acting capacities does not augur well for the long term development of the Corporation.
By: Nhyira Kwabi and Henrietta Afful
