General News of Friday, 14 January 2011

Source: GNA

GBC, NCA agree conditions for digital broadcast

Accra, Jan. 14, GNA - The National Communications Authority (NCA) an= d the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) have agreed that content issues that have raised concerns and seem to have given undue advantage to some players in the broadcasting industry would be discontinued on the Digital Terrestrial Transmission (DTT) platform of GBC.

A joint statement released in Accra on Friday said the governing board= s of the two institutions, which met in Accra on Thursday, also agreed that n= o promotional activity on digital broadcasting would be broadcast on the GBC DTT platform either as an advertisement or Live Presenter Mention for any company or institution. It said all ongoing promotional activities on digital broadcasting on the GBC DTT platform not purely for GBC would be discontinued immediately. "GBC would ensure that all the DTT channels are carrying content tha= t do not contain branding for any such institutions or companies ...or offer undue advantage to other players in the broadcasting industry." The statement said GBC and NCA would cooperate to ensure digital migration was facilitated in a fair and transparent manner and in ways that prioritised the national interest. It said NCA, the regulator, was committed to ensuring fair competition in the entire communications industry, including the broadcasting sector, while GBC, the state-owned broadcaster, was committed to dealing fairly wit= h all players in the industry.