Saturday, July 30, 2011
Interim committee to regulate television content
Story by Ernest Dela Aglanu/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana
Source:Modern Ghana
Film producers and representatives of television stations together with the Information Ministry have agreed to set up an interim committee to establish standards for the previewing and classification of films shown on TV.
The decision was made during a meeting between the various bodies and the Deputy Minister for Information, Baba Jamal in Accra Thursday.
Thursday's meeting was attended by Film Producers, representatives from; Ghana Television, the Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI), the National Media Commission, the Cinematography Board and the Ministry for Information.
A source told Myjoyonline.com that the meeting was necessitated by the minister's complaints about the content of movies and programmes shown on television stations.
The various representatives at the meeting agreed to nominate a member each to be part of the interim committee which will meet in a weeks time to formulate the standards.
This committee will work in the absence of the official regulatory bill before parliament.
He urged film producers to also produce movies that are suitable for the family, especially children, and not only audiences of 18 years and above.
The Minister also used the meeting to call on television stations to show more local content on their channels so as to help the local industry grow.
Representatives who were at Thursday's meeting will meet in two weeks to discuss the implementation of the interim committee's proposed standards.
Story by Ernest Dela Aglanu/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
What a clever way to tell producers to abstain from exercise of their constitutional right to publication unless with governmental approval or prescription. Our constitution demands that every citizen or institution must without limitation enjoy unfettered right to publish or express himself/herself . Such freedom forms the basis of our democratic experiment. For a minister to convey a meeting of media apparatus to set standards indicates gradual willful exercise of powers intended to whittle away that sovereign right as prescribed by the constitution. Our Constitution is guarded with vigilance and willingness to protect by any means necessary, including legal battles. Recent yanking of movies from production lines reflects the government's jackbooted attitude towards alternate views and expressions. Our democracy survives best when linked to free engagement of diversified elements - a necessary ingredient. Ours is the envy of Africa and perhaps the world. Let us protect it from those who want to wrestle it away from us. The Ghanaian has the right to publish, watch, read and listen to all types of materials on paper, screen, billboard and television without limitation or selective choices. That is our constitutional right, period. I love to read ghanatelescope.com It always seeks the country's interest first.
Post a Comment