GBC Should Be Restructured – Oppong Nkrumah

Information Minister-designate, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has given the slightest indication that the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) could see a restructuring.

Oppong Nkrumah told Parliament’s Appointments Committee at his vetting last Friday that a committee had been constituted by President Nana Akufo-Addo to advise on how to restructure the nation’s broadcaster.

“…the president has set up a committee to advise on the restructuring of GBC,” he announced.

He stressed that with modern technology, it has become possible for one person to multitask and do the work of two people.

Oppong Nkrumah, however, believes that they would improve when he receives the report by the advisory committee which he believes will provide the guideline to help the government restore the network to its glory days.

“I will receive a report of the committee and the direction that the president wants us to go,” he told the parliamentary committee.

He indicated that GBC has to address its identity crisis issue by identifying whether it’s a state, public or commercial broadcaster and chart a path with it.

“GBC has to educate the public on it mandate because its role is different from the private media,” he stated

History

In 1954, Gold Coast Broadcasting System was established, later becoming Ghana Broadcast Corporation (GBC) after independence in 1957. GBC provides two domestic radio services, Radio 1 and Radio 2, broadcasting from Accra.

The Mission of GBC is to provide for general reception in Ghana radio and television broadcasting services in the fields of culture, education, information and entertainment which reflect national progress and aspiration. In performing its public service role, GBC engages in commercial broadcasting through the sale of paid adverts and exploration of other sources of revenue related to its business.

Channels

GBC operates GTV, a channel for events that matter most to Ghanaians, which is broadcast nationwide on an analogue terrestrial platform.

Additionally, GBC runs five digital channels namely, GTV Sports+, GBC 24 and GTV Life, a religion and culture channel as well as GTV Govern. It also operates Obonu TV, which is a channel for the people of Greater Accra and window for the Ga-Dangbe and 10 regional radio stations plus some five District radio stations in Ghana.