GBC Beleaguered, Needs Revival - GJA

A study conducted by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has indicated that the state broadcaster, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation is beleaguered and needs revitalization with a new management and different sources of funding. It noted that local and global developments required that the corporation shifted its mandate from a state broadcaster to a public broadcaster to satisfy current development needs. This would in turn require a clear definition of the status of the GBC to provide clarity on it mission and activity. These recommendation formed part of the report of the study which the executive members of the GJA presented to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Communication on Friday at Parliament House in Accra. Views and data were collated in the last quarter of 2007. At presentation of the report, Mr Affail Monnie, Vice President of the GJA and Editor-in-Chief, GBC observed that the corporation needed to be revived legally, financially and in terms of management. He said the rate of resignations from the GBC was unbelievably high, and the document was to offer recommendation on what to do to bring the corporation back on its feet. Mr. Berifi Apenteng, former Managing Director of the Graphic Communications Group, who was the lead consultant to the project said a public broadcaster was free from state control, provided a platform for public debate and voice to the minority. A public broadcaster also is independent of direct state control and commercial interest. Mr Kojo Armah, Chairman of the Select Committee, who received the report, said it would be presented to the Speaker and then back to the Committee for study.