General News of Monday, 23 October 2017

Source: atinkaonline.com

Defaulting radio stations not entirely off the hook- Ursula Owusu

Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister of Communications Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister of Communications

The Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has stated that the Ministry’s quest to ensure that media houses adhere to rules and regulation have not shifted to only TV stations.

Some radio stations were sanctioned by the National Communication Authority (NCA). The NCA published a list of 131 FM Authorization Holders it has sanctioned for violating various aspects of the Electronics Communications Act (2009), Act 775.

The Communications Ministry also served notice that all television stations in the country will undergo a special audit to ascertain their conformity to rules and regulations, and to ensure they adhere to professional standards.

It has been alleged that the decision to audit TV stations have left defaulting radio stations off the hook.

Speaking to Ekourba Gyasi on Atinka AM Drive, the Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful refuted the allegations, explaining that defaulting radio stations have not been spared. She hinted that sanctions of some media houses have however been reduced.

According to her, community radio stations for instance do not make profits which resulted in their inability to go by the NCA regulations.

She entreated all media houses to abide by the rules and regulations to ensure professional standards.