Takoradi(WR), Oct.11, GNA - Mr Bright Blewu, General Secretary of Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has suggested that the television license fee should be replaced with an established fund. He said the fees charged were unrealistic and could not meet the increasing needs of a public service broadcaster.

Mr Blewu was contributing at a consultative forum on Public Service Broadcasting organised by GJA, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) and KAB Governance Consult at Lagos Town near Takoradi on Wednesday. The forum was under the theme "Public Service Broadcasting in Ghana, The Way Forward."

He explained that the fund should be managed by a neutral institution such as the National Media Commission (NMC) instead of relying on government funds for Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC). Mr Blewu said allocation of funds from government should be paid directly into the fund to sustain public service broadcasting in the country.

He said collection of taxes on old and new television sets at the entry points could raise substantial revenue. Mr Kwesi Afriyie Badu Chief Executive Officer of KAB Governance Consult suggested that mobile phone taxes could be used to support public service broadcasting.

He said civil society must work hard and promote public service broadcasting to serve all interests.

Mr Berifi Appenteng, a Media Consultant said GBC should make conscious efforts to change their programmes and promote efficiency in all sectors of the organisation.

He noted that professional standards were falling in the organisation and efforts must be made to reverse the trend. Mr Appenteng called on GJA to intensify its education and re-training of members.