GIBA-ASHANTI CALLS ON NCA TO CHECK PROLIFERATION OF FM STATIONS

Members of the Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association,GIBA, has called on the National Communications Authority to check the proliferation of FM stations in the country, which they claim is spelling doom for the future of the radio industry.

They also called on the NCA to come out with a strategic plan for broadcasting in the country and as a matter of urgency, work on a limit for the issuance of frequencies to new applicants. Representatives of fourteen radio stations, all members of the Ashanti Regional branch of GIBA, raised these concerns yesterday, at a meeting to elect their executives.

The meeting which was chaired by the Executive National Secretary of GIBA, Mr. Gerhard Ankra, also discussed the issue of "poaching" in the radio industry, problems associated with running adverts on credit for advertisng agencies, and the need to forge a united front to set up policies to regulate the activities of the private radio industry in the country.

The CEO of Kapital Radio in Kumasi, Mrs Judith Agyeman was elected President of the 25-member-Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana Independent Broadcaster's Association. She contested the post with three others including, Mr Ohene Asante of OTEC Fm, Lawyer Osei-Tutu of Kings Radio at Konongo in the Asante Akim District of Ashanti and Mr Andrew Aninkorah of Kessben Fm.

Mrs Judith Agyemang stated her vision as, to unite private broadcasters in the region to set a base rate for advertising and to put in mechanisms to abolish the current credit base system and entreat advertising agencies and clients to the various FM stations to pay upfront to brighten the future of the industry.