The Journalists Association organised a series of consultative fora in the Eastern, Ashanti, Western, Northern and Volta regions from the 8th to 31st of October 2007 on the way forward for Public Service Broadcasting in Ghana. Findings from the regions were later collated and debated further at a primary stakeholders meeting on ‘Public Service Broadcasting-The Way Forward’ on the 17th and 18th of December 2007 at the Volta Hotel in Akosombo. The recommendations of this critical primary stakeholder groups are hereby presented in the following communiqué.

2. Rationale & Context:

The advocacy and sensitisation initiative was premised on the fact that the future of public service broadcasting in Ghana has been uncertain ever since the privatization of state-owned enterprises became the preferred option in the 1990’s. With the promulgation of the Subvented Agencies Act, Act 706 in 2006 the situation has taken an alarming turn. The said Act empowers the Minister for Public Sector Reform to reduce the dependence on public funds by any subvented organisation including, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC). The Act further vests in the Minister, responsibility for “matters of policy concerning the reform of subvented agencies.” This is inspite of the constitutional mandate of the NMC to insulate the state-owned media from governmental control.

The GJA as an association noted the critical role of public service broadcasting and deemed it opportune to engage the public in a discussion on the way forward for public service broadcasting and by inference GBC. The communiqué is expected to guide the GJA at the next stage of the advocacy on public service broadcasting. This will involve separate dialogues between the Association and Executive, the Legislature and the National Media Commission.

3. Partners:

The programme was supported by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) with KAB Governance Consult (KGC) as facilitators.

4. Participant Profile:

Participants at the different fora were drawn from critical institutions within the media industry and other core stakeholders whose work or mandate have, or will have a critical impact on public service broadcasting. They included representatives from the National Media Commission, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, The Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Ministry of Public Sector Reform, Ministry of Communications, Information Services Department, the Christian Council, National Commission on Culture, National Communications Authority, Traditional Authority, the Armed Forces, the Media, Non-Governmental Agencies and Civil Society Organisations.

COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED BY PARTICIPANTS AT THE TWO-DAY PRIMARY STAKEHOLDERS MEETING ON THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING IN GHANA HELD AT VOLTA HOTEL, AKOSOMBO ON THE 17TH & 18TH OF DECEMBER 2007

We, the representatives of the following organisations, Ghana Journalists Association, the National Media Commission, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Information Services Department, Ministry of Public Sector Reform, Ministry of Communications, National Commission on Culture, National Communications Authority and the Private Newspapers Association of Ghana having participated in the primary stakeholders meeting on the way forward for public service broadcasting in Ghana, organised by the Ghana Journalists Association in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and KAB Governance Consult, at Volta Hotel, Akosombo on the 17th & 18th of December 2007.

Having reflected on the reports of the regional consultative fora, organized on the same theme in five regions of Ghana, and having deliberated on experts’ opinion as to the way forward for public service broadcasting in Ghana, hereby affirm and resolve as follows:

1. General

1.1. That, effective public service broadcasting is crucial for the consolidation of democratic culture in Ghana as well as the country’s overall development process in view of its unique role in disseminating information and knowledge and in providing a forum for all sections of the society to express their opinion.

1.2. That, Public Service Broadcasting goes beyond the work of the Public Service Broadcaster. Any mechanism put in place to support Public Service Broadcasting should therefore recognize and reward the contribution of non-state broadcasting stations.

1.3. That, the Public Service Broadcasting sector is underdeveloped and needs to engage the priority attention of policy makers, regulatory bodies and civil society organisaitons.

1.4. That, the state puts in place a framework that mandates all broadcasting stations in the county to undertake a minimum transmission of public service broadcasting.

1.5. That, the GBC as the only state-owned broadcasting organisation, should be supported to transform into a true Public Service Broadcasting both in terms of its legal mandate and philosophical outlook.

1.6. That, whichever funding mechanism is put in place to support Public Service Broadcasting should recognize and reward the contribution of non state broadcasting stations.

1.7. Towards the realization of an ideal Public Service Broadcasting framework, the following thematic areas should specifically addressed by the Executive and the Legislature working in consultation with the National Media Commission and other primary stakeholders.

2. Policy & Legal Framework

2.1. The Executive, Legislature and the National Media Commission should work to develop a policy for broadcasting in Ghana. Such a policy must be backed by legislation and must be in conformity with the letter and spirit of the Constitution especially as it relates to the freedom and independence of the media.

2.2. The BGC enabling statute NLCD 226 should be repealed and replaced by a law that defines the Public Service Broadcasting mandate of the corporation in a comprehensive manner.

2.3. The state should review the roles of the National Media Commission (NMC) and the National Communication Authority (NCA) especially in the allocation of media frequencies and regulation/supervision of the sector.

2.4. Public accountability should be institutionalized by putting in place a formal mechanism to engage the public in GBC’s development and challenges. This engagement should be in addition to the annual reports submitted to the National Media Commission (NMC).

2.5. That there is an urgent need for the organisatonal restructuring of GBC. To enable the process to take place successfully under the Public Sector Reform, the National Media Commission, the Legislature and the Attorney General’s department should revisit the Subvented Agencies Act and rectify any contradictions that may affect the state-owned media.

2.6. Pending the review of the law, the NMC should initiate a consultative process on the Subvented Agencies Act as early as possible.

3.0. Funding

3.1. Funding for Public Service Broadcasting should predominantly come from public sources and must be substantial to prevent marginalization of the sector.

3.2. Funding must be independent of political, commercial and other vested interests.

3.3. A National Broadcasting Fund/PSB Fund should be established by the State to support Public Service Broadcasting. The National Media Commission (NMC) should manage the fund.

3.4. The fund should also be accessible to other broadcasting/media institutions that undertake Public Service Broadcasting functions as laid down by the requisite regulatory body.

3.5. Additional sources to fund Public Service Broadcasting should include:

3.5.1. TV license fees which should be reviewed regularly by relevant authorities and well advertised.
3.5.2. Part of the levies on mobile pone airtime should be ceded to Public Service Broadcasting.
3.5.3. A one time levy paid at the point of entry by importers of radio and television sets (new/used)
3.5.4. A percentage of advert proceeds of radio/television stations.
3.5.5. The criteria for allocating money from the PSB fund must be covered by legislation

4.0 Programming

4.1. Programming for Public Service Broadcasting should aim at improving society
4.2. GBC must review its programmes to ensure that they are in line with its Public Service Broadcasting mandate.
4.3. The State should consider establishing more radio and television channels to meet the varied programming needs of the public

5.0 GBC Efficiency & Focus

5.1. GBC top management should have security of tenure based on an objective performance contract.
5.2 GBC should;

- identify its audience, conduct a needs assessment and improve programme content to satisfy the varied interests of its audience.
- address the needs of diverse segments of society including physically challenged persons in its programmes.
- be sensitive to the cultural values of its audience.
- identify the proper timing to broadcast various programmes bearing in mind the target audience.
- adopt creative approaches to educational and entertainment programmes for different categories of persons, especially children.
- broadcast more local theatre and indigenous programmes. Adopt sound management principles and practices to ensure the prudent, effective, efficient and transparent use of the resources provided to it.

5.3 Films should be vetted by an appropriate committee to guarantee decency
5.4 Quality documentaries and educational and information programmes should be developed on key areas such as small businesses to boost nation development.
5.5 The Corporation must produce well-researched features on different facets of the country to promote regional integration.
5.6 Programmes should not overemphasize politics, music, dance and sports to the disadvantage of other equally important subject area programmes.

5.7 GBC Management should:
5.7.1 review all running programmes to ensure that they are in conformity with its public service mandate.
5.7.2 adopt policies that ensure that the influence of commercial advertising does not dilute its mandate to serve the public interest.
5.7.3 put in place mechanisms to curtail operational and financial gaps that lead to financial losses.
5.7.4 review its financial and administrative operations to avoid financial leakages that inure to the benefit of individuals
5.7.5 formulate a charter with specific input from civil society to clarify its public service mandate, a pact with the State and civil society that will be used for periodic evaluation of the Corporation’s work and determine its future direction.
5.7.6 develop in-house policies on potentially contentious subject areas such as ethnicity, politics and religion to ensure equity and also that they are handled with appropriate sensitivity.
5.7.7 outline clear, transparent criteria for identifying ‘commercial’ as against ‘public interest programmes.

6.0 The Way Forward

• The Ghana Journalists Association should initiate dialogue with the Management of GBC, the National Media Commission, the Executive and the Legislature on the way forward for public service broadcasting in Ghana.

• The NMC and the Ministry of Information and National Orientation must take up the leadership role in the process. The two bodies are accordingly urged to organize a way forward on the matter using this communiqué as input

• The outcome of the Akosombo deliberations must be widely disseminated through the media as part of the sensitization programme.

Dated at Akosombo, this 18th day of December 2007.