GREAT MOVE! Film Classification Committee Hits Road

Last week Thursday, the Minister for Tourism Arts and Culture, Barbara Oteng Gyasi, officially inaugurated the Film Classification Committee (FCC) at a short but very well organized ceremony at the Accra Tourism Information Centre (ATTIC).

We at The New Publisher see this as a great move that would go into the books of history as one of the key achievements this government has been able to do for the arts sector.

The FCC Chairman, Socrate Johnny Safo, laid the ground for some food for thought when he said in his inaugural address: “WE ARE WHAT WE WATCH AND WHAT WE SEE AFFECTS OUR THINKING, ACTIONS AND INACTIONS.

“When we fail to properly classify the content of what is shown on our television space, we endanger our own society, especially our children and our future leaders for that matter.

“In this era where almost every room has a television set and almost all television content are streaming live on social media and almost all our children have access to smart phones through which they can access television content, the role of safeguarding them from consuming inappropriate content, cannot be left exclusively on the shoulders of parents and guardians. No. This would not work in this era.”

Chairman Safo nailed it with these deeply thought through words of wisdom and it is our hope they do not just remain words but they would be put into action with a sense of urgency to achieve the intended results.

The world over, countries that have worked at classifying their television content have often won the silent war of cultural imposition.

Countries that have failed to pay attention to issues of classification end up having their television and media space rudely and forcefully taken over by all forms of alien culture that have been imposed on them.

Indeed, WE ARE WHAT WE WATCH AND WHAT WE SEE AFFECTS OUR THINKING, ACTIONS AND INACTIONS.

Therefore, continuing to watch all manner of inappropriate content, affects our lifestyles, our culture, our music, our economy and our very traditions handed to us by our forefathers.

We are not unaware of the fact that watching unconcerned for foreign cultures to be imposed on us through our media space has an indirect negative effect on our economy.

We at The New Publisher pledge our support to the FCC in giving the Committee the publicity and public education on what they stand for and what they represent.

But as usual, we would not be lap dogs licking their feet. We would be responsible watchdogs keeping them in check as and when necessary.

We welcome the FCC on board and congratulate every person who has worked to see this success achieved, especially the Tourism Minister, Barbara Oteng Gyasi and the David Dontoh-headed Governing Board of the National Film Authority.