Accra, Aug 4, GNA - Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Communication, on Tuesday appealed to the media to reflect on media ethics to promote national unity and cohesion instead of engaging in sensationalism that created panic, fear and unnecessary anxiety amongst the populace. Launching the guidelines for local language broadcasting to ensure effectiveness and vibrancy of the Ghanaian media in Accra, Mr Iddrisu said the guidelines would make the need for a Broadcasting Law even more imperative -"if we were to define the parameters for broadcasting in Ghana and to ensure that public morality is not compromised with a free and vibrant media".

The 56-paged book was developed by the National Media Commission (NMC) in consultation with stakeholders in the broadcasting industry and with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Mr Iddrisu said the guidelines would further deepen the exercise and enjoyment of the right to free expression particularly for a country with a high level of illiteracy.

He said the Government considered the use of local languages critical to the building of democratic ethos and human rights culture and commended the NMC for taking the initiative to harness the benefit of linguistic diversity and pluralism.

He gave the assurance that the Government would continue to respect and guarantee the freedom and independence of the media and that the use of other minority languages was crucial for growing unity diversity. Mr Iddrisu said the role of the State broadcaster, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation was being re-examined against the background of recent developments such as the growth in the number of the private broadcasters, satellite and cable technology and technological convergence.

"The Government would, in consultation with the National Media Commission, seek an appropriate review of the legislation establishing the national broadcaster, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), NLCD 226 of 1968, to be independent, adequately funded and accountable to respond to contemporary challenges as a public broadcaster," he said. "It is expected that GBC would play a role in fulfilling the public's right to know," he said.

Mrs Sabah Zita Okaikoi, Minister of Information, said the proliferation of radio stations and newspapers in Ghana had awakened the political consciousness of the people who demanded accountability from public office holders.

That, she said, had given credence to freedom of expression as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.

She said many radio stations had programmes in local languages for the consumption of a larger audience but in most cases, issues were exaggerated by radio presenters in the local dialect just to make fun without taking cognizance of the impact it had on some members of the society.

Mrs Okaikoi appealed to the NMC to implement the guidelines to the letter so as to ensure that local language broadcasting was done in line with journalistic standards to achieve the aim of giving the right information to the people without damaging peoples' reputation. "Journalism and broadcasting are about reporting on issues that touch on the sensibilities of the people and affect their reputation and integrity. It is, therefore, important that the conduct of media practitioners is guided by principles and procedures and done with professionalism," she said.

Mr Clever Nyathi, a Senior Governance Adviser of UNDP, said the freedom and independence of the media as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution of Ghana were not absolute and must be read and fully enjoyed with other provisions of the Constitution such as the respect for the rights of others.

"We have seen what abuse of the media can do. The examples from Rwanda and Sierra Leone would always remain dark spots in our common history as Africans. In Ghana, we are blessed in the sense that we have institutions, such as the NMC, to ensure that catastrophic failures do not occur," he said.

Mr Nyathi said the UNDP was pleased to support the NMC in producing the guidelines and pledged its preparedness to play a major role in national undertakings such as the district elections in 2010 and national elections in 2012. He said he hoped that the use of the guidelines would become daily reference points for all media personnel and not just for major events such as elections.