NMC urged to tighten screws ahead of 2012 elections
The National Media Commission has been urged to tighten its screws on media institutions ahead of the 2012 elections. Speaking to e.tv Ghana at the IDEG Ghana Speaks lecture series, the Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa, Professor Kwame Karikari, indicated that the NMC should shut down media institutions that will foment trouble before, during and after the 2012 elections.
The adoption of democracy in 1992 after independence has witnessed the successful change of political batons from one democratically elected government to the other.
Next year, the country’s democratic credentials will be put to test again as Ghanaians go to polls to elect a leader for another four years.
The media as the Fourth Estate of the Realm will be expected to do their bit to ensure successful elections.
To ensure objectivity in the media landscape ahead of the 2012 general elections, (IDEG) organized a lecture to educate the Ghanaian media on their roles during the forthcoming elections.
The theme for the lecture was: “The Ghanaian Media: National Peace and Cohesion”. Experts are, however, not happy about the current alignment of the media to one political party or the other. Professor Karikari therefore urged the media to be fair and balanced in their reportage and advised the National Communications Authority (NCA) to come down heavy on media institutions that generate trouble during elections.
He advocated for the NMC and the National Communications Authority (NCA) to be put in a mechanism which will prevent politically influenced radio and television networks from “misbehaving” before, during and after the elections.
“Those media that are owned and influenced by politicians must spare us the agony of fomenting trouble for this country. That is why I advocate that the NMC and NCA must put in a mechanism where if a radio station or television station starts misbehaving they just pull out their plugs, and just stop it from broadcasting.”
Prof Karikari also called on independent media houses to stay neutral and provide information for the electorates to know and decide better who to vote for.
By: Naadi Bitlegma, e.tv Ghana
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