Nana Aba is anchor of GhOne News Tonight
On Monday October 3, 2016 host of GhOne TV’s State of Affairs Nana Aba Anamoah appeared in another form on the same station.
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This time round she wasn’t just the host of a show that brings NDC and NPP apologists to shout at each other while she pretends (like the UN) to be dousing the flame she had set.
It was for a meatier, more relevant, a tad human interest related and swashbuckling one and half hour-long news show.
Suffice it to say that Monday was exactly one year since she was taken off air indefinitely by TV3 for that infamous #NanaAbaWasThere prank from Old Trafford. Was it coincidental? Did GhOne deliberately worked towards presenting their presenter with an anniversary gift? *shrugs*
There is no gainsaying the fact that the most talked about, most written about, most tweeted about, most posted about television presenter in the last one year has been Nana Aba Anamoah and that doesn’t seem to be getting away since the ante was upped by GhOne last Monday.
Since EIB bought GhOne Entertainment Television from Iyiola Ayoade and his Multiple Concept Group, they never hid the fact that they would turn the previously entertainment content focused station into a mainstream one.
The station had been working towards ensuring that they meet this aspiration and evening news was like the denouement to this whole caboodle. First they moved into a new property with new studios and equipment and they had to ensure they build all the necessary stuff needed to make it a mainstream channel and having done all that they turned their attention to the news.
So last Monday came and there was Nana Aba Anamoah in all her elegance – wearing a peach-like jacket over a dark inner dress (or whatever it was) – and seated behind a huge desk with a good-on-the-eye mammoth screen behind her to roll the station logo and other brand messages.
Earlier in the day Nana Aba had told www.graphiconline.com to expect something different in equipment and news angles. “We will dwell a lot on human interest stories. It's a new studio so we are excited,” she indicated. “We are using 4K cameras in the studio as well. I guess it's just more news from all angles.”
Frankly, I have watched the show on two occasions, Monday and Tuesday, and I must say that it is the kind of news I would love to watch. It has human interest angles and Nana Aba seems to have improved with her questioning skills.
On the first night, for example, she had Ivor Greenstreet, the presidential candidate of the CPP on the line and on camera from his home (another ace in technology the guys at Ridge want to impress us with) and I felt she delivered her questioning very well.
Greenstreet is an intelligent man who can get you away from the main issues if you do not reign him in, and I felt she did a good job on that score. Except what was meant to be an ace in technology failed a few times and the CPP leader had to jettison the earpiece at some point as it was distracting him from flowing as he wanted. Or so it came across.
On both days the main stories covered have been more developmental than political. Honestly, I don’t know if the insertion of State of Affairs as an integral part of News Tonight is a good one or not. I will only confirm myself that if for nothing at all its duration has been reduced. There is always something to be thankful for.
It must also be said that running a news programme of that magnitude requires that they keep the politics going, especially so around election, lest they run the risk of starting on a high and then getting cold before we finish saying Rumpelstiltskin! Developmental stories, such as what was done on Monday from Okoman is good, but it would end you emotional points than ratings, so a dash of politics here and there is fine.
They have a good host for starters and it is good for them, but I am sure she won’t be the only news presenter at the station forever. I hope they are packing the arsenal to unleash on viewers other equally good news presenters to add to Nana Aba.
Regarding the other aspects of the new, business and sports, especially I think they got the right guys. Kweku Temeng has been doing business news for a while from his days at TV3 and it was obvious he would be the one to present the business on News Tonight. However, having watched him for two nights I think he is either tensed or he has not mastered the screens on which he presents his facts.
On Tuesday night, for example, he was trying to educate viewers on which Fitch has rated Ghana B- (or was it B+) and Moody’s has rated the country B2. He fumbled and ended up confusing the viewers than educating them. He should get his facts right or just record someone during the day who knows about such things.
Dennis Mepuri seems to be a perfect choice for the sports segment on the show. He comes across as tad more versed with the screen and what he wants to communicate than his business colleague. Plus let’s face it, Mepuri looks pleasant on the television, his voice is soothing and he prepares for the sports segment very well too.
There are however some technical issues that the station needs to improve. The transition montages from the host to guests and back to the host need massive improvement and I think their VOs are horrible. The person who interprets Twi to English gets ahead of himself without timing what the person is saying. They need improvement on these two.
Also, I think the lettering strap (or whatever they call it) needs a bit of colour. The current dull white or whitish-grey doesn’t look well on the eye, in my arrogant opinion. They also have to improve the communication equipment if they want to do real life interviews with their guests on camera.
In summation, I think the team at GhOne TV (led by Bola Ray (CEO), Klaus Vonbackustein (COO) and Astus Kwasi Ahiagble (GM)) has done a brilliant job in putting the news show out. The investment in studio, set, equipment, the right people and tools can only be commended. This will ensure some competitiveness in the landscape and generally ensure improvement. Can they sustain it? We live to see.
And oh, shouldn’t Nana Aba focus on the news than referring to the quality of equipment and trying to tease others at the least opportunity? Ain’t nobody got time for that, my dear!