The National Media Commission (NMC) has reacted to the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association’s (GIBA) concerns in relation to the notice by the NMC on measures, it was taking to suspend the operations of Onua FM and Onua TV, following what the commission describes as “persistently dangerous broadcast” by the two media houses, owned by Media General.
In a press statement dated December 1, 2023, signed by the Executive Secretary, George Sarpong, the NMC indicated that the notice of suspension still stands.
The NMC indicated to GIBA, Onua FM and Onua TV “invited this upon themselves, please note that your [GIBA] press statement is of no consequence to the process. We wrote to you [GIBA] out of courtesy so if it is your wish that we do not grant you that courtesy in future, we respect that.”
GIBA in a press statement had said the NMC was not giving Onua FM and Onua TV a fair hearing.
But in responding to GIBA, the NMC advised GIBA not to attempt to dictate to it on how it should handle it’s constitutional duties.
“Regarding how we deal with other organisations including the Advertising Association of Ghana, the ordinary rules of etiquette would require you not to attempt to dictate to us,” NMC told GIBA and said there was a difference between imposing sanctions without giving a hearing and serving notice to impose sanctions.
What has happened?
The National Media Commission (NMC) has initiated processes aimed at suspending the frequency authorisations of Onua TV and Onua FM.
The move according to the NMC is following “persistently dangerous broadcast” by Onua TV and Onua FM.
A similar letter has been sent to the National Communications Authority (NCA) as a form of notice on why the frequency authorisations of the two media houses should be suspended.
“We believe our intervention to save the nation may have implications for your members and their clients who deal with the two stations. We therefore deem it necessary to inform you of our action to enable you advise the advertising community accordingly,” the letter to the AAG for instance stated.
Background
The NMC in a statement dated November 14, 2023, issued a final warning to Onua FM, Onua TV and one of the station’s presenters, Captain Smart over the said inciteful broadcast.
The NMC indicated that Onua had carried a broadcast in which Captain Smart directly insulted the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) and other Commanders of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) by describing them as “beasts.”
On November 24, the NMC in another statement announced that it had extended the final warning after which the commission said it may act without any further reference to Media General, owners of Onua FM and Onua TV.
The extension of the deadline followed a response Onua FM/TV sent to the NMC in a letter dated November 20, 2023,
Captain Smart had claimed that the military officers embezzled monies meant for soldiers’ peacekeeping operations but offered no evidence to back his claims, the NMC stated.
“This was as dangerous as it was unprofessional,” the commission added indicating that Captain Smart was inciting a mutiny in the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
The commission in its letter made reference to a similar incident in 2022 where in a letter dated December 8, 2022, it drew the attention of Onua TV/FM to the use of the station to promote violence against the state and the management’s lack of capacity to address same.
The NMC said it was of concern that the behaviour persists after attention was drawn to it and the management was not instituting any measures for any internal gatekeeping to help prevent re-occurrence.
