Live breakfast programme on GTV interrupted

...following complaint of bias against ruling party
On 20 February 2009, the director-general of the state-owned Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), William Ampen-Darko, ordered an abrupt end to a live discussion programme on Ghana Television (GTV)'s "Breakfast Show" following a complaint of bias against the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)'s correspondent reported that Richard Quarshigah, a member of the NDC's communication team, complained to the director-general by phone that the panel on the programme was not balanced and gave unfair advantage to the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The three-member panel, comprising two NPP activists and an NDC member, were discussing the new president's first State of the Nation Address to Parliament on 19 February.

Ampem-Darko has since justified his action. He told the pro-opposition "Daily Guide" newspaper that the composition of the panel was not in the best interest of the station, since the issue being discussed was the president's State of the Nation address.