Indexing government scandals one at a time
The Ministry of Communications has directed the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) to reduce its six operating digital television channels to three.
In a letter addressed to the Director-General of the GBC dated June 26, 2020, the Minister of Communications, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, said the directive which is to be implemented within 60 days is to ensure that there is space on the National Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) platform which is currently at full capacity with 40 operating channels.
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has emphasized that the directive from the Ministry of Communications asking the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) to reduce its number of channels on the National Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) platform is wrong and unconstitutional.
According to the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), the directive undermines relevant constitutional and regulatory provisions on institutional governance and operational independence of the state broadcaster and media pluralism generally.
July 15, 2020
References: