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17.09.2015 Opinion

RTP Awards Need Changes

By Yaw Nketia
RTP Awards Need Changes
17.09.2015 LISTEN

The Radio and Television Personality award scheme in Ghana needs a thorough and pragmatic change in the right direction, to clear all doubts surrounding its credibility as a genuine media award.

The authenticity of the RTP-award will always be tested as far as its dimensions and criterion are unknown to many of the media personalities it was designated for.

The RTP was arguably established to recognise, promote and award all those working hard within the media fraternity in Ghana.

But since its inception, it has rather been dogged with so many failures here and there. Whilst some in the media working and living in Accra love the scheme, those in the regional and hinterlands hate it.

This is because the awards seem to be won, conferred, given or handed to most media personnel plying their trade in the capital Accra. It must as well be called ‘The Accra Media Awards’.

There are so many radio stations strewn along the frequencies of Ghana from the length and breadth of the country.

And with all due respect, there are equally competent Journalists, presenters and disc jockeys who also ply their trade in the other regional capital cities that form part of Ghana.

So the powers that be should be looking further afield than Accra. Prince McKay and his Big Event’s management should rather be doing the RTP on regional levels.

This means there should be RTP-Kumasi, RTP-Cape Coast, Volta region RTP and so on. It might not be easy but it is feasible.

By so doing, this will measure up to the numerous media outlets there are in Ghana, thereby achieving the primary aim of the RTP awards scheme.

In so doing, the rest of the media competency in the other regions would be felt and seen as it should be, thereby making the RTP as clear, wholesome, unique and authentic as can be.

Another problem is the radio stations in Ghana. Most of them do not take streaming on the internet as seriously as the Western world.

Due to this problem, most stations cannot be monitored by everybody online for the transparency of the research and award process.

Without the help of radio stations streaming on the internet, Prince McKay and his cohorts will always find it difficult monitoring the Ghanaian airwaves from the capital.

Let truth be told. There is still no clarity in the modus operandi of the RTP research and monitoring process.

Anyway, kudus to Mr Prince McKay for establishing this award scheme. However there is more room for improvement as to the authenticity and credibility of the ‘Radio and Television Personality Awards.

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