A Memorandum of Cooperation signed between the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the National Media Commission (NMC) will see to the regulation of electronic communications content churned out by the various media outlets in the country.
The Memorandum of Cooperation which falls under the auspices of the Ministry of Information seeks to ensure that electronic communications content complies with the basic legal and ethical standards within the overall constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Chairman of the NMC, Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, opined that both the NMC and NCA are handicapped when it comes to the regulation of media content hence the need for the Memorandum of Cooperation.
“The NMC, by law, can only recommend, discuss or advise whilst the NCA is mandated to regulate the technical operations of broadcasters. As a result, it has become necessary for a memorandum or mechanism to be implemented for institutions to rely on each other without undermining the rule of law,” he added.
Director General of the NCA, Joe Anokye, also speaking at the ceremony, said the NCA is excited that a framework of cooperation has been executed for all stakeholders regarding content regulation.
Adding that the Authority, as part of the Government’s digitalisation agenda, has established the Broadcast Monitoring System (BMS) in all its offices across the country to monitor the Key Performance Indicators as stipulated in the Broadcasting Authorisation.
He revealed that the BMS can record the activities or programmes of the various TV and radio stations and therefore urged the NMC to take advantage of the system as the NCA is willing to assist with any information they may require.
In his remarks, Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said that following some media content infractions which caused a public uproar earlier this year, there was the need for stakeholders to examine and strategise to monitor content in the electronic media space. He expressed that though he appreciates that these infractions still exist, the signing of this Memorandum will ensure sanity in the media space going forward.
He further urged the NMC to rely on the NCA’s BMS for information, enhance their complaints system and procedure, and in the interest of transparency, publish decisions by warning broadcasters or redrawing their Authorisations.
