Champion Developmental Agenda of Communities - Radio Stations Told

as Ghana marks her 50th Independence Anniversary

A Ghanaian broadcast journalist and communication/ development expert, George Kwaku Doe has called on radio stations operating in Ghana to tailor their programming to be in tune with the developmental needs of the communities within their coverage area. This to him will complement the efforts of other developmental partners whose aim is geared toward enhancing the standard of living of the people they are serving. He said this in an exclusive telephone interview in Framingham, Massachusetts in the USA, when he was quizzed on the topic, “Ghana @ 50: The role of radio stations yesterday, today and tomorrow”. He bemoaned the situation where radio presenters set agenda that do not promote healthy coexistence and socio-cultural issues that will lead to the betterment of the average Ghanaian.

He said as the country marks her 50th milestone this year as an independent nation, Ghana as a developing country needs to have radio stations that will champion her developmental plans as found in the blue print of the nation drawn by the founding fathers and as envisioned in the Vision 2020 document. He said statistics available on Ghana indicate that radio has comparative advantage over other forms of mass media like the Television; Newspaper; and Internet in terms of coverage, accessibility, cost in operating it, more so radio does not need sophisticated equipment or gadgets for transmission and even the use of local language in information dissemination has made radio to have a wider audience nationwide over the other media, he noted. He has therefore called on Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), producers and presenters of radio stations to take advantage of the situation to use the radio to promote the growth and development of Ghanaians. He charged them to also adhere strictly to the ethics of the electronic broadcasting profession to avoid being pulled to the law courts.

He asked that the National Communication Authority (NCA) should intensify its monitoring of radio stations that are dotted all over the country and “should bare its teeth a bit”. He suggested that the National Communication Authority (NCA), Frequency Board and the National Media Commission (NMC) in collaboration with The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) should as a measure of ensuring professionalism among radio presenters introduce Radio Presenter’s License, which should be renewable on annual basis. He stressed that those presenters who flout the basic code of the broadcasting profession should lose their license for a certain period. He emphasized that if radio presenters know they can lose their license, which is the source of their livelihood, they will tow the “Narrow Path” to maintain decent and unbiased attitude while on air. He questioned, why should a radio station alone face the wrought of the law when the unguided utterances and unprofessional manner of a presenter in handling of issues while on air had caused that mess? Presenters should also be sanctioned when they ere, he added. GBC has a way of handling this at the Corporation’s level, but what about the Private radio station whose owner needs the presenter regularly on air? He queried?

Reacting to a question; “Is radio the remedy to our developmental needs”? Doe acknowledged that radio per se is not a panacea in itself in addressing our developmental needs or goals. But stated that, “When radio is effectively harnessed through the active involvement of the local people such as the community and opinion leaders in the stations’ programming, the developmental needs of the communities can be met”. And that it is on record that low- cost community radio stations built by people of some communities in Hawaii, Sri Lanka and Vanuatu have played vital roles in the empowerment of the locals in terms of the promotion of peace. The use of community radios has been used for the dissemination of new methods in agricultural practices, and in some areas radio has served as a major springboard to rural development nationwide. He added.

Doe believes this approach will make the stations to be abreast with the socio-cultural practices of their targeted audiences. He added that radio should not be seen as a- one- way form of communication where the announcer sits in the studio alone being seen as the all knowing person. Rather radio is an interactive communication tool where the audience and the host share ideas such as new ways of doing things for the advancement of humankind. He mentioned that the use of new technologies like the Internet, Satellite have enhanced the two-way communication by radio stations where the audiences use both the voice over the Internet, e –mails. The traditional telephony is another method used by the audience to be involved in live programs on radio, he cautioned radio presenters to be weary of callers who will try to mar the beauty of their programs as some callers are too emotional when they are contributing to live broadcasts. He mentioned field interviews, vox pops and letters as other means where audiences are made to be part of radio programs, and those steps should be sustained he stressed.

To further boost the two way interaction, Doe said radio stations should intensify the formation of listeners’ club in the communities where the station is heard for members to have an avenue to channel their inputs and grievances. He noted;

“The people in your community are your station’s most important interest and biggest resource. They are also very important for your sustainability” He added that what it meant for the radio station should the community members contribute to their own social development is that “You have a chance to show how much you value the community and they in turn have a chance to show how much they value you. The community starts to feel directly responsible for the station

Touching on sitting of radio stations in the country, George Kwaku Doe laments on over concentration of radio stations in big cities like Accra and Kumasi to the neglect of the rural communities. He said “Most radio stations are profit oriented, so proprietors tend to site their stations at centers where they can easily recover their investments in no time”. To offset this he suggested that community leaders should cooperate with development partners to help establish low power FM radio stations, as radio is the cheapest and less costly medium in information dissemination. This he emphasized that with the available of small transistor radio sets which depend on dry cells, rural folks could still tune in to their local station while working on their farms and other vocations.

On his background which centered on academic and professional pursuits, George K Doe said he was born at Mamobi in Accra, some few years after the attainment of the independence of Ghana, had his primary education at William Wilberforce Primary, and attended Accra New Town 1 Middle School. He gained admission to Keta Secondary School after passing the Common Entrance Examination, where he sat both General Certificate of Education (GCE “O” & “A”) Ordinary and Advanced Levels. He graduated from University of Cape Coast, taught at Yamfo Secondary School and Berekum Training College, all in the Brong Ahafo Region. A decade ago he was recruited by Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and stationed at Radio BAR (GBC affiliate Station) in Sunyani as a Producer and Talk and Morning show host. Doe had his initial broadcasting training at GBC Training School in Accra, where seasoned broadcasters like Charlie Sam; Cyril Acolatse; Gertrude Opare Addo; John Hammond; Tim Quarshigah; Daniel Mensah- Brandt; Rev. Okwei to state a few taught him. And he also had the opportunity to work under veteran radio announcers and presenters like Freddy Quaccoe; Sampson Quain (PONCHO); Rocklin Clottey and pep talks from Dr. Kofi Frimpong; James Amartey. In addition George Doe had attended numerous workshops and seminars for media practitioners on political, health, agricultural, sports environmental reporting organized by both Local and International Media Organizations. George currently holds a Master of Arts Degree in International Affairs with concentration in Communication and Development from Ohio University (OU) in the United States. While at OU, George K.Doe was a regular host of “Live From Studio B”, a daily talk show program on WOUB AM station in Athens, Ohio. His research interest is radio as a tool for development.

Summing up he said “As we celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the attainment of the independence of Ghana, what he expects to see in the years to come are, “Radio should be seen spreading the “Gospel According to” issues of the Environment; (forest; rivers; our beaches, pollution); Good Agricultural Practices; Promotion of the culture of Ghanaians; Healthy Political Talks; Personal Health, Tourism and Human Rights. He added that all radio presenters should be imbibed with the basic tenets of broadcasting, which will promote healthy presentation and moderation of their programs. And the last but not the least, CEOs of Radio stations should provide their stations with the delayed broadcast equipment, which they can use to edit at source unfriendly and unfavorable comments from phone-in contributors on live radio shows. Radio to George K. Doe should be the vehicle that all Ghanaians should be on board on the Information Superhighway as we celebrate Ghana @ 50. Long Live Ghana …

Long Live Ghanaians in the Diaspora…