Ghana Broadcasting Corporation
The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) was established by law in 1968 with a triple mandate as a State Broadcaster, Public Service Broadcaster, and a Commercial Broadcaster in Ghana.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Headquartered in the capital city, Accra, it is funded by grants, broadcasting television commercials and the levying of a television licence, costing 36 cedis and 60 cedis for one or more TV sets in the same house every year. TV set repairers and sales outlets are to pay an annual sum of between 60 cedis to 240 cedis.[9][10][11]
| Type | Terrestrial television and radio broadcast network |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mass Media |
| Predecessor | Gold Coast Broadcasting System-31 July 1935 |
| Founded | 1 January 1953 |
| Headquarters | Accra, Ghana, Ghana |
Area served | Ghana, 16 regions |
Key people | Professor Amin Alhassan (Director General) |
| Products | Broadcasting, radio, web portals |
| Services | Television, radio, online |
| Owner | Government of Ghana |
| Parent | Government of Ghana |
| Website | gbcghanaonline.com/ |
History
Established under an act by the British colonial government in 1935, the Gold Coast first operated a Broadcasting outlet called radio ZOY.[12] This was the code name of a relay station the BBC operated. It was in the time of Governor General Sir Arnold Hodson.[13][14] It later became the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation after Dr Kwame Nkrumah changed the name Gold Coast to Ghana, upon political independence in 1957.[15] The broadcasting service, originally known as Station ZOY, was introduced on 31 July 1935 by the colonial Governor, Sir Arnold Hodson.[16][17]
Back in 1965, Dr Kwame Nkrumah inaugurated the television division for black and white screens. Both radio and television became main components of GBC's electronic outlets for information dissemination. In 1996, the Supreme Court settled a key debate in Ghana when its ruling committed the state broadcaster to the equal opportunities doctrine in broadcasting. Thus, the corporation is obliged to be fair and grant equal publicity to all political parties in Ghana.[18] It expanded with time to meet ever increasing expectations occasioned by growth in human population. As a result, the station now operates seven television channels and thirty three radio frequencies which broadcast in twenty five languages.
Establishment
Broadcasting began in Ghana on July 31, 1935, from a wired relay station opened in Accra. The brain behind the introduction of broadcasting into the country was the then Governor of the Gold Coast, Sir Arnold Hodson, affectionately known as the "Sunshine Governor".
He was ably assisted by a British radio engineer, Mr. F.A.W. Byron. By 17:00GMT on that historic day, gramophone records of martial and light music were relayed and at exactly 17:45GMT the voice of Sir Arnold Hodson came through to break the tension and the suspense with this explicit message:
“One of the main reasons for introducing the Relay Service is to bring News, Entertainment and Music into the homes of all and sundry. This will bring to an end the barriers of isolation and ignorance in the path of progress and also to enable the people of Gold Coast to improve on their very rich cultural music".[19]
Administration
The new broadcasting Service, code-named Radio "ZOY", was staffed by eight technicians and housed in a small bungalow on 9th Road near the Ridge Police Station in Accra. Broadcasting first began in four Ghanaian languages, namely Fanti, Twi, Ga, Ewe, and later Hausa. Part-time staff were engaged to translate and announce the news in these languages until 1943 when full-time staff were appointed. Between 1946 and 1953, the organisation was administered by the Public Relation Department, now the Information Services Department. The Corporation expanded with time to meet ever increasing expectations occasioned by growth in human population. As a result, the station now operates seven television channels and thirty-three radio frequencies which broadcast in twenty five languages.
The Director-Generals of the GBC:
- J. B. Millar 1954-60
- W. F. Coleman 1960–70
- S. B. Mfodwo 1970–72
- L.W. FiiFi Hesse 1972–75 & 1984–90
- J. Y. Assasie 1975–81
- Kwame Karikari 1982–84
- George Aryee 1991–92
- David Anaglate 1992–95
- Kofi Frimpong 1995–99
- Gilbert Adanusa 1999–2000 (acting)
- Seth Ago-Adjetey 2000–02
- Eva Lokko 2002–05
- Yaw Owusu Addo 2005–07 (acting)
- William Ampem-Darko 2007–10
- Kwabena Sarpong-Anane November 2010–October 2011 (acting)
- Berifi Afari Apenteng November 2011–March 2013
- Albert Don-Chebe May 2013 - May 2016
- Kwame Akuffo Anoff-Ntow November 2016 -January 2018
- Amin Alhassan October 1, 2019–Present
Legislation
On the recommendation of a commission set up in 1953, the Gold Coast Broadcasting Service (GCBS) was established and from there it became a department in its own right. On attainment of independence in 1957, the Gold Coast was renamed Ghana and the GCBS became Ghana Broadcasting System (GBS). The legislation that basically set up GBC as an establishment was National Liberation Council Degree number 226 (NLCD266) of 1968.
Television and radio stations
GBC operates the famous Ghana Television GTV (a channel for events that matter most to Ghanaians), which is broadcast nationwide on analogue terrestrial platform. Additionally, GBC runs four digital networks namely: GTV Sports+ (24-hour sports channel that provides premium sports programmes),[20] GBC News (24-hour news and current affairs channel), GTV Life (Religious and cultural channel), Obonu TV (a channel for the people of Greater Accra and window for the Ga-Dangbe). It has branches or affiliate stations across the regional capitals, partnered with other private and Public Service Broadcasters across the globe, and collaborated with other governments worldwide.[21][22]
The mandate of GBC requires that it provides services for all segments of the multicultural society, with the cardinal roles being timely information, education and entertainment. It quickly set up the GTV Learning channel to broadcast to school pupils and students forced to stay home as the academic calendar was suspended at onset of the novel Coronavirus pandemic from March 2020.[23][24] New cards on the table are the plans to establish radio stations in the six newly created regions in Ghana.
Regional FM stations nationwide:
Training school
The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, which is also an agency overseen by the Ministry of Information, runs a training school that provides tuition in radio and TV broadcasting and engineering.[25] It has over the years trained both locally and internationally renowned broadcasters. The training school has two faculties: Broadcast Journalism and Broadcast Technology. The corporation also promotes training and educational programs and is central to fulfilling the GBC's mission to inform, educate and entertain.[26][27]
Landmarks
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1935 | Radio ZOY Established (BH-1) |
| 1939-40 | British Government built BH-2 (now known as Old House)[28] |
| 1943 | Local Languages broadcast introduced |
| 1946 | Information Service Department handled Administration of GBC |
| 1953 | Gold Coast Broadcasting System Established as a Department |
| 1955 | Establishment of Engineering Training School |
| 1956 | Audience Research Department set up |
| 1956 | GBC News unit set up |
| 1958 | Broadcasting House (BH-3) built |
| 1960 | Mr.W.F.Coleman appointed first Ghanaian D-G |
| 1961 | External Service |
| 1962 | GBC Reference Library established |
| 1965 | GTV inaugurated |
| 1965 | Rural Broadcasting introduced |
| 1966 | Television Licensing Decree, N.L.C.D 89 |
| 1967 | Commercial Broadcasting introduced |
| 1971 | Public Relations Department set up |
| 1975 | Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (Amendment) Decree, N.R.C.D 334 |
| 1985 | Colour Television Introduced |
| 1985 | URA Radio established |
| 1986 | Accra FM Radio established |
| 1987 | Apam fm station commissioned |
| 1989 | Installation of satellite TV dish to receive CNN |
| 1991 | Television Licensing Regulations, LI 1520 |
| 1994 | Dormaa Ahenkro Community station commissioned |
| 1994 | Twin-city radio commissioned |
| 1995 | Radio GAR now Uniiq Fm goes stereo |
| 1995 | Radio Savanna commissioned |
| 1996 | Radio Central commissioned |
| 1996 | Radio Volta Star commissioned |
| 1997 | Installation of satellite TV dish to receive Deutsche Welle |
| 1997 | Installation of satellite TV dish to receive Worldnet |
| 1998 | Installation of satellite TV dish to receive CFI |
| 2001 | Radio BAR commissioned |
| 2001 | Radio Upper West commissioned |
| 2002 | Radio GAR re-commissioned to Uniiq FM |
| 2002 | Radio Obonu FM commissioned |
| 2002 | Radio Sunrise FM commissioned |
| 2010 | Pilot Digital Terrestrial Transmission DTT(MPEG2, DVB-T)started |
| 2010 | DDT Committee Inaugurated |
| 2010 | Upgrading and Expansion of DTT (MPEG2, DVB-T)to Greater Accra, parts of Central, Eastern and Ashanti Regions |
| 2010 | GBC marks Diamond Jubilee |
| 2010 | GTV Sports (All Sports Digital Channel) established |
| 2011 | GBC24 (24 hour News Digital Channel) established |
| 2011 | Obonu Fm marks 10th Anniversary |
| 2011 | GBC Life (All Life Digital Channel) established |
| 2014 | GTV Govern Digital Channel Established |
| 2014 | Obonu TV Digital Channel Established |
| 2014 | GBC Digital Set Top Boxes Launched |
| 2015 | GBC celebrates 80th Anniversary |
| 2015 | TV Licence Fee revised from 30p to 36 Ghana Cedis a year |
References
- ^ "BBG Partners with Ghana Broadcasting Corporation". US Agency for Global Media. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
- ^ "Japan supports GBC with state-of-the-art equipment". Citi Newsroom. December 1, 2020.
- ^ "Ghana state broadcaster 'shocked' to lose Premier League rights to Chinese firm StarTimes". GOAL. January 9, 2020.
- ^ "GTV rebrands "Breakfast Show", announces new Hosts Kafui Dey, Valerie Danso and Thelma Tackie". Ameyaw Debrah. July 30, 2021.
- ^ "GBC launches 80th anniversary celebrations". Multimedia Group (Joy Online). Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "Zongo Development Fund partners GBC for development". News Ghana. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
- ^ "Swearing in: Only GBC will be allowed access to main chamber". STARR FM. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
- ^ "Ghana profile - Media". BBC. British Broadcasting Corporation. 15 August 2017.
- ^ Young, Kevin (18 January 2007). "TV licence fees around the world". BBC News.
- ^ "The National Budget". Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.
- ^ "GBC to re-introduce payment of TV Licence fee". Graphic Online. 5 June 2019.
- ^ Gadzekpo, A (2021). "Tuning in to his-story: An account of radio in Ghana through the experience of B. S. Gadzekpo". Africa. Cambridge University Press. 91 (2): 177–194. doi:10.1017/S0001972021000012.
- ^ Head, Sydney W. (1979). "British Colonial Broadcasting Policies: The Case of the Gold Coast". African Studies Review. 22 (2): 39–47. doi:10.2307/523811. JSTOR 523811. S2CID 144897176. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ "Sir Arnold Hodson, Introduction of broadcasting in Ghana". GBC Ghana Online. Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.
- ^ "Media Ownership Monitor Ghana (History)". Media Foundation for West Africa. Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
- ^ "Sir Arnold Hodson, Introduction of broadcasting in Ghana". GBC Ghana Online. Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.
- ^ Wells, Alan (1997), World Broadcasting: A Comparative View, Greenwood Publishing Group, p. 162. ISBN 978-1-56750-246-6.
- ^ "Ghana votes (What of the media?)". BBC News. 3 December 2004.
- ^ Ghartey-Tagoe, David Kwesi (28 Jul 2010). David Ghartey-Tagoe: A Broadcast Icon. Xlibris Corporation, 2010. p. 70. ISBN 978-1-4535-4206-4.
- ^ "GBC secures Olympics rights (Tokyo 2020: Time, date, events and how to watch all 14 Ghana athletes)". Myjoyonline. 26 July 2021.
- ^ "First Lady Launches "Learning to Read, Reading to Learn project"". The Rebecca Foundation. 24 October 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
- ^
- "Affiliates - TV to Africa". Voice of America. Retrieved October 31, 2009.
- "euronews goes nationwide in Ghana". Association for International Broadcasting. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
- "AfricaLink Partner Stations". Deutsche Welle.
- "Reception of DW in Africa, Ghana". Deutsche Welle.
- ^ Kale-Dery, Severious (3 April 2020). "GES releases virtual learning timetable". Graphic Online.
- ^ "Ghana Learning TV May Timetable from KG to SHS". Ghana Education Service (GES). May 5, 2020.
- ^ "Ministry of Information - Six Agencies We Oversee"
- ^ "U.S. Partners with Ghana to Launch Learning Radio Program to Improve Reading for Ghanaian Children". U.S. Embassy in Ghana. 15 June 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
- ^ "GES to start radio learning program June 15". Graphic Online. 9 June 2020.
- ^ "NATIONAL DIGITAL BROADCASTING MIGRATION TECHNICAL COMMITTEE" (PDF). National Communications Authority: 21. August 2010.
Further reading
- Smith, Victoria Ellen, ed. (2018). Voices of Ghana: literary contributions to the Ghana Broadcasting System 1955-57 (Second ed.). Woodbridge, Suffolk: James Currey. p. 276. ISBN 9781847011930.
- Kittoe., Napoleon Ato (July 31, 2021). "The pangs of public service broadcasting". GBC Ghana Online.
External links
- Official site of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation - GBC
- "About the GBC". Ghana Broadcasting Corporation. 25 March 2021.