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The National Media Commission [NMC] says it is considering regulatory measures to address the low standard in broadcasting in the country.

The commission says it has observed that the media is succumbing to pressure for commercial gains at the expense of the public good.

The NMC is a state agency mandated with the responsibility of registering, regulating and monitoring the activities of media houses in Ghana.

According to the Chairman of the commission, Mr Kwesi Gyan-Appenteng, its office will soon launch a ‘Religious and Nonreligious’ guidelines for broadcasting to be used by all stations across the country.

Pastors and Christian leaders have been among the most revered people in Ghana. In fact, they could be said to be only second to chiefs when it comes to reverence.

But in recent times, this aura around pastors have been fast waning with criticisms being thrown at the clergy quite often.

The way they conduct their church services, their extravagance lifestyles coupled with oftentimes their controversial and scandalous actions on radio and television, appears to have reached the corridors of the media regulator.

“We are worried by the kind of things we hear and see on radio and TV as well as online. Soon the NMC will launch guidelines for the media. We are also considering a guideline for the religious broadcasting. Things our pastors say or show on TV in recent times are unscrupulous.”

“Both guidelines, which will be in a booklet and poster form, will be launched soon and made available to all media house,” Mr Kwesi Gyan-Appenteng said during a familiarization tour to Despite’s ‘Ship House’ which houses Peace FM, OKAY FM, Peace FM Online, NEAT FM and UTV.

He was accompanied by the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Alexander Bannerman and other staff of the NMC.

The NMC boss also used the opportunity to commend Peace FM for its excellence in broadcasting over the years as the first Twi Radio station in Ghana.

“I must admit Peace FM is doing really well with your educative programs...but there is still room for improvement. Be the pacesetters for others to follow. Always be mindful with contents you feed your listeners with,” he added. 

On his part, the General Manager of the Despite Group of Companies, Mr Kennedy Asante Osei, expressed his outfit's delight at the visit saying "we are honoured that despite the chairman's busy schedule, he found time to pass through."

He assured that, his stations will be crusaders of the guidelines when officially launched to support the commission’s agenda of sanitizing the media landscape.

“I must commend the NMC for their support to the Despite Media group. We are very grateful for this visit,” he said.  

Present at the meeting were the Head of Programmes for UTV, Roger Quartey; News Editor for PeaceFM, Emmanuel Bekoe; News Editor for UTV, Ms Afua Mensah and Editor for Peacefmonline, Nana Kwadwo Asante.