Though per the National Commission on Culture’s National Cultural Policy, TV stations in Ghana are supposed to use their contents to project Ghana’s arts, culture and value systems, most TV stations across the length and breadth of Ghana do not comply.
Some players in Ghana’s creative art industry have complained bitterly for almost a decade now over the influx of foreign contents – telenovelas, soaps, sitcoms, movies, music, etc. on Ghanaian TV channels, but, it appears the gaffe has come to stay.
Whilst some posit that such foreign contents, the telenovelas to be precise, should be scrapped off our screens, those who think otherwise, also opine that Ghana is a free market economy which ensures free entry and exit of investors/investment – so no authority, policy, or law can enjoin any TV station on what they should show on their channels.
Contrary to the second school of thought, the National Commission on Culture’s NCC national cultural policy, require TV stations in Ghana to show 70% Ghanaian content and 30% foreign content. Below is what the Policy – 11.2 directs under TELEVISION: “Television shall be used:
“A – to project Ghanaian arts, culture and value systems; enhance national consciousness and self-reliance by; drawing on indigenous sources and resources to its project content, making its programme content relevant to Ghanaian realities, history and aspirations, giving adequate attention and coverage to programmes featuring children, traditional intellectuals’ artist and other custodians of culture and public service.”
The C part states unequivocally: “Making its programmes 70% Ghanaian and 30% foreign.” The main objective of the national cultural policy captured in the 2004 gazette and foreword by then President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Agyekum Kufour, is to document and promote Ghana’s traditional cultural values, ensure growth and development of our cultural institutions and make them relevant to human development, democratic governance, and national integration, amongst others.
Unfortunately, most contents on TV channels in Ghana are foreign – a total contravention of the national cultural policy. For reactions to this development, I called in on the office of the National Media Commission and had an exclusive interview with the PRO of the Commission, Miss Sandra Boison.
I asked her if the Commission is aware most contents on Ghanaian TV stations are foreign and she confirmed: “yes, the commission is aware. We are very much aware.” Are the TV stations supposed to comply with this policy? Her answer was: “they are suppose to but because we don’t have a LEGISLATIVE INSTRUMENT LI backing it, they are not complying.
“It is in the review process, so you can’t actually hold someone on why he or she is not doing the right thing” Miss Boison said. So therefore, can one say this national cultural policy is a clear case of an arbitrary policy? She continued to say that “not really. It is not something subject to any media house’s discretion, thus to obey or not. The cultural policy is suppose to guide the media.
“Some of the stories we write about our culture, the mode of presentation, how you even capture the news sometimes damages our culture. It makes it fetish as if we have nothing good here.” In her last words, Miss Boison admonished media houses to comply with the national cultural policy because “when you forget your culture and history, you are useless.”
From the office of the National Commission on Culture, I went to TV3 and contacted the Brands Manager, Mr. Felix Dontoh, to give me a TV station perspective on why most of the TV stations show more foreign contents to local ones.
“I am aware when you acquired the broadcasting license you were required to broadcast more local or Ghanaian content than foreign content on your channel. That I am aware of.” So why then do most TV stations broadcast more foreign contents? He continued:
“First, when a new station starts to operate, they need content and as you know more and more TV stations keep springing up by the day. They all need content, so they fall on those already made foreign contents to fill their airwaves. Secondly, they fall on those foreign contents because it is easier acquiring them and they are cheaper compared to producing locally here.
“Producing local contents come with a huge budget which most of the TV stations can’t afford. It’s rather unfortunate this is where we have come to. If you go to South Africa, they don’t have any slot for foreign content; hence, they don’t show foreign telenovelas on their channels. I will urge you to push this agenda because it’s worrying. Our culture is at stake” Mr. Dontoh ended.
GTV, the nation’s national television channel established to promote and protect our culture, even stands accused in this influx of foreign content on our screens. TV Africa, has finally joined the chorus because “we need money” said their Pan-African CEO, Mr. Kwaw Ansah.
GhanaCelebrities.Com hopes parliament make haste in passing the Broadcasting Bill into an Act soonest – to help check the system. Until then…MOTWUM!!