The Board of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) has reported Communication Minister, Ursula Owusu to the National Media Commission (NMC) for ordering them to reduce the number of channels being operated by the state broadcaster.
The Minister in a letter to the state broadcaster directed them to reduce the number of channels they operate from six to three within two months.
Digital channels run by GBC include GTV Sports+ (a channel for sports), GBC 24 (a 24-hour news TV channel) and GTV Life (a religion and culture channel), GTV Govern (a governance channel), Obonu TV (a channel for the people of Greater Accra and window for the Ga-Dangbe).
In a letter addressed to the Director General of GBC dated 26th June 2020, the minister said the decision was to free space on the national digital terrestrial television platform,
The letter was a follow up on a virtual meeting between the Ministry of Communications and GBC on June 25.
“This is to ensure that there is redundancy on the National DTT platform which is currently at full capacity,” the letter stated.
“You will therefore be required to consolidate your programming in line with this directive.
“Kindly note that upon the planned future expansion of capacity on the network, which has been delayed due to the current pandemic and the uncertainties generated in global supply Chains, you will be allocated additional channels.
“Please take steps to implement this directive within sixty (60) days of receipt of this letter.”
In a response to the letter, GBC noted that the reduction of the number of channels would affect its operations.
“This request would also impose serious budgetary and human resource challenges on the operations of GBC and indeed, can collapse the Public Service Broadcaster…,” a portion of the letter read.
The letter further asked the NMC to intervene and call the minister to order.
Below is the letter:
