Give NMC authority to allocate frequencies

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Monday January 31, 2011.
Dr. Audrey Gadzekpo, a Senior Lecturer at the School of Communication Studies, University of Ghana says it will be in the interest of the nation to allow the National Media Commission (NMC) to authorize allocation of broadcast frequencies to media houses rather than the current situation where the National Communications Authority (NCA) is responsible for the authorization.

Dr Gadzekpo said if that is done it would become obligatory for the NMC to effectively monitor content in the media and also motivate the commission to initiate action against errant media houses.

She was speaking at a public forum in Accra on Thursday organize by the National Constitutional Reform Coalition (NCRC) under the auspices of Center for Democratic Development (CDD) to gather information on possible amendment of media laws for the ongoing Constitutional Review exercise.

Speaking on the topic: “The 1992 Constitution and the media: Challenges and opportunities for reform”, the media lecturer said “the NMC wants to authorize allocation of frequencies. This must be encouraged because it is preferable to the NMC issuing out the licenses.”

She said the NMC has not been able to live up to its mandate because it is in dire need of funds and also does not have the power to issue licenses for media houses for which it could generate revenue to be able to become very effective adding “we need amendment of the law to position the commission to be strong.”

Dr. Gadzekpo also said the current situation where the President appoints some members of the NMC goes against the intentions to make the commission independent.

She also said it will be dangerous to adopt a proposal by government to select the Chairman of the NMC since if it is considered; the independence of the commission would be under threat saying “there is no need to review such vital areas of the laws on media.”

She identified the lack of respect for constitutional provisions by both state and non-state actors and the media; laws running counter to the constitution as some of the impediments in the effort towards the development of media freedom in the country.

Dr. Gadzekpo also said the current draft defamation bill is inconsistent with the provisions of media freedom and added that the absence of freedom of information and broadcasting laws are impeding the effort to develop the frontiers of media freedom.

Egbert Faibille Jnr, Editor-in-Chief of The Ghanaian Observer who was the discussant for the forum said the constitutional provisions relating to the media “are just enough for us but there is the need for a little more expansion. We need to clearly establish the boundaries in the constitutional provisions.”

He said in most cases ruling governments have sought to use the tax authorities to intimidate media owners especially when those owners do not share the views of the government but said “however we are yet to see a media owner jailed for such offences.”

He called for peer review among media houses to ensure sanity in the media landscape.

Professor Kwame Karikari, Executive Director of Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) who chaired the forum said intimidation of media by state institutions especially the security agencies does not encourage and promote effective media freedom.

He however said the media needs “a measure of self examination” and do away with unprofessionalism, adding “if we continue to be recalcitrant it will be difficult for us to convince those who want laws of the media tightened.”