The implementation of the National Media Commission's Guidelines for Local Language Broadcasting, a conduit for local language media accountability in Ghana

Caroline Aboagye Da-Costa,Asuamah Adade-Yeboah,Fausta Kilian Ganaa

doi:10.14738/assrj.74.8158

Abstract

Broadcasting in the local language in Ghana, especially on radio, has come under stakeholder criticisms over years. The National Media Commission (NMC) Ghana's independent media regulator introduced the Guidelines for Local Language Broadcasting (GLLB) in 2009 as a counterweight to guide the reputation of local language broadcasting. Ten years down the line, the criticisms continue against a backdrop of NMC'S failure to make its impact felt and not being effective in popularising the GLLB among the local language media fraternity. Using interviews, observations and content analysis of the GLLB, the study enhances the GLLB'S implementation by local language radio stations in Ghana with all the perceived challenges. The study found out that for the GLLB to be effectively implemented, the NMC needs an elevation to the status of an Authority in order to command enormous power to exercise. The tenets of the GLLB also need to be re-visited and revised from a Guideline into a Standard, after consultations with the relevant stakeholders.

Highlights

In 2009, the National Media Commission (NMC), Ghana’s independent media regulator, with financial and technical support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), introduced the Guidelines for Local Language Broadcasting (GLLB)
Semi-structured interviews were held with the heads of unit in the news department, the News Editor (NE), Head of Newscast (HNC), Head of News Research (HNRH) and Head of News Report (HNR)
From the foregoing, it is evident that local language broadcasting in Ghana has come to stay

Summary

Introduction

In 2009, the National Media Commission (NMC), Ghana’s independent media regulator, with financial and technical support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), introduced the Guidelines for Local Language Broadcasting (GLLB) It is a language-use document established with the objective to “distil research in journalism, linguistics, translation and media ethics by providing practical suggestions and guidance for improving local language broadcasting” [1]. This document was meant to guide the credibility of broadcast stations which operated extensively in the local language and at the time had been accused of ethical violations and lowered professional standards These local languages FM stations (most of them operating in the Akan language) used language considered intemperate in the Akan culture [2] and so they had attracted a lot of criticisms. The GLLB was introduced as a counterweight for such infractions, among others and to introduce some level of decorum to the local language broadcasting space

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Methods

Conclusion