GIBA gets new executive council
The Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) last Thursday swore in new executive council members to run the affairs of the association for the next three years.
Advertisement
The new executive council members were sworn in by the Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), Nana Kwesi Gyan-Appenteng.
The council has Mr Andrew Danso Anninkora of Kessben FM as its new president.
The other executive members include Mr Ernest Boateng of e-tv, Vice-President; Mr Matthew Martin Anderson of Aseda FM; Mr George Fausta Baffoe of Kantinka FM; Mr Prince Hari Crystal of Crystal TV; Mr Cecil Thomas Sunkwa-Mills of GoTV and Mr Klaus Vonbackustein of GhOne TV.
“We will work together”
In his remarks after the swearing-in ceremony, Nana Gyan-Appenteng commended the outgoing executive council for discharging its duties satisfactorily and tasked the in-coming officers to work towards promoting a positive and optimistic media environment.
He said it was time for GIBA and the NMC to work together to create an excellent broadcasting atmosphere in the country in spite of the recent court battle between the two institutions.
GIBA had sued the NMC at the Supreme Court last year over the NMC’s Content Standards Regulations 2015 (L.I.2224) that compels media houses to submit their programming to the commission for approval. The law was, however, suspended following a ruling by the Supreme Court.
GIBA had argued that aspects of the content law were not in sync with the country's constitution. The Supreme Court ruled that the NMC’s Content Standards Regulations 2015 (L.I.2224) amounted to censorship and that it contravened Article 162 Clause (2) of the 1992 Constitution.
According to Nana Gyan-Appenteng, GIBA did right by taking the issue to court as it had helped to clarify some sticky matters regarding the regulatory mechanisms that had been adopted.
Reviewing the regulations
Nana Gyan-Appenteng said considering the rapid increase in the number of radio and television stations in the country, there was the need to work together to reset the agenda on ensuring effective regulations to guide broadcasting.
Although he described the growth in the broadcasting space as remarkable by all standards, he said there was an obvious mismatch between quality and quantity.
Nana Gyan-Appenteng further underscored the need to constantly review and revise the regulations and the way they were applied due to the convergence of media in the face of a rapidly changing world.
Presidents
The new President, Mr Anninkora, expressed his gratitude to members of the association for the confidence reposed in him and the other executive members and promised that they would work hard to build on the good work of their predecessors.
He said as part of its plan of activities, the new council would work to maintain relations with other stakeholders and also enrol members of the council in training programmes to enhance their skills.
He added that the council would work to get other independent broadcasters on board in an effort to enlarge the membership base of the association.
He thanked the outgoing executive members for their hard work and urged them to continue supporting the association.
The outgoing President of the association, Mr Akwasi Agyeman of e-tv, who had been with the association for the past 10 years recounted some achievements of the past administration and pledged the out-going administration’s support for the association and the new executive.
