The National Media Commission (NMC) is to introduce legislative reforms to help ensure high levels of professionalism and bring some sanity to the media landscape.

Mr. Kabral Blay-Amihere, the Chairman, said the reforms would include sanction regimes and is expected to come to force before the end of the year.

He said the move is in response to the public outcry against the current happenings in the media and the need to institute effective control measures to curb the excesses.

He was speaking at a one-day media for democracy convention on the 2012 elections in Kumasi.

The programme is one in the series being organised by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) with support from the American Embassy in Accra to aid journalists, security agencies, political parties and civil society organizations to play their expected roles well to assure the nation of transparent and credible polls in December.

“Towards free, fair and peaceful elections: The role of the media” was the theme.

Mr. Blay-Amihere said after 20 years experience of media freedom, pluralism and freedom of expression, the Ghanaian society is now calling for some kind of controls to restrain the media from plunging the nation into chaos.

The NMC is empowered by the constitution to do everything in its power to promote sanity in the media and he appealed to journalists to undertake self regulatory measures instead of allowing others to regulate them.

Mr. Blay-Amihere said they must not make it easy for the state to control them since that could cripple their independence and freedom to operate.

Mr. Kwabena Abroampah Mensah, Programmes Manager at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), underlined the need for them to continue to build upon the struggle that brought about media freedom and independence instead of creating opportunities for the state to emasculate them.

He said no government could build a strong democracy for the people without the effective contribution of the media and other institutions that promote transparency, accountability and fairness.

Mr. Mensah said free and fair elections should provide avenue for every eligible voter to register and vote devoid of intimidation.

Ms. Alison Bethel Mackenzie, Executive Director of International Press Institute, said being a journalist was not a license to commit crime and counseled journalists against rumours, which she noted, could fuel unrest, violence and deaths.

Mr. Bright Blewu, General Secretary of GJA, reminded the media of its duty to protect the peace.

He invited civil society organizations to support the media to maintain peace, stability and unity of the nation.

Mr. I.K Gyasi, an educationist, asked the media to report the truth and do away with acts likely to divide the people.