Andrew Danso-Aninkora, president of the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) has stated that none of the 49 TV stations earmarked for closure by the National Communications Authority (NCA) belongs to GIBA.
Speaking on The Asaase Breakfast Show with Nana Yaa Mensah, he said the closure notice has nothing to do with the alleged killing of a 10-year-old boy at Kasoa by two teenagers for ritual.
“From discussions that we have had with the NCA, they gave us indications that this exercise is part of what they started from 2017 when they closed down a number of radio stations. They were supposed to have gone on to TV also to as it were normalise the activities of various TV stations and channels,” he said.
Danso-Aninkora added: “Unfortunately, due to the reactions that came as a result of the closure of radio stations, they paused the activity. I cannot say for sure whether it is the Kasoa incident, which has prompted them to do this but before the Kasoa incident there has been various stakeholder meetings to sanitise the airwaves.”
According to him, the number of TV stations earmarked for closure was reduced to 49 after a meeting with all stakeholders last week, adding that it was good the NCA took the action to close the stations.
Non members of GIBA
Danso-Aninkora said prior to the Kasoa murder, stakeholders have been meeting to discuss ways of sanitising the media landscape.
“Before you become a member of GIBA, we will definitely ask you whether you have a complaint with the NCA. In becoming a member of GIBA, we give you the opportunity to understand the operations of NMC and NCA. We give you guidelines, so you find out that most of these TV stations, non of them was a member of GIBA.”
Background
The National Communications Authority (NCA) says it has embarked on an exercise to shut down 49 television (TV) stations for operating without authorisations.
A statement issued by the NCA on Wednesday (21 April) said, “This forms part of a continuous monitoring exercise conducted on various satellite free-to-air television platforms using the Broadcast Monitoring System (BMS) and the Radio Spectrum Monitoring System (RSMS).”
According to the statement, the monitoring exercise revealed that some television channels in the country were operating without valid authorisations from the NCA.
“As a result, 49 channels have been identified to be operating without valid authorisations from the Authority and is being shut down accordingly,” the statement added.
Some of the stations include Thunder TV, Ice1 TV, Cash TV, Lion TV, Kwaku Bonsam TV, Apple TV, Iron TV, Abapa TV, Serwaa TV, Face TV, NTV, Nazareth TV among others.
Fred Dzakpata
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