TV stations must broadcast 70% local content at prime time – Minister

The Minister of Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful says government would soon roll out a policy to ensure that television stations broadcast at least 70% local content at prime time.

She noted that the need to push local content has become necessary to provide more opportunities for local content providers especially film producers across the country. This comes at a time when there is a growing discontent among local producers and viewers concern about the influx of foreign content on the airwaves.

Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful announced this when the Group Chief Executive Officer of Media General, Pearl Esua-Mensah led a delegation from the media conglomerate to pay a courtesy call on her on Friday, September 29, 2017.

Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful She praised TV3, a known brand of Media General Group, for churning out quality local content over the years, such as Efiewura, Insight and others. The minister was delighted to see a female heading such giant media outfit, adding that there is a need to have more women in management and at the top level across various industries.

She highlighted there are measures being put in place to digitize Ghana by 2018, in line with the wave of digital migration across the broadcasting landscape. Though she conceded that the digital migration process has delayed, there is a need to make the transition steadily yet seamlessly.

She was confident the Media General Group would be at the forefront of the digital migration process and called for the various platforms across the group to collaborate with the Ministry in educating the public on the development.

Group CEO of MG Pearl Esua-Mensah (R) and Head of TV at MG Beatrice Abbey Group CEO of Media General, Pearl Esua-Mensah said the group is commitment to increasing local content on its various platforms.

She further noted that as TV3 marks its 20-year anniversary, a series of local productions would be rolled out to the public.

“TV3 and the entire Media General group seeks to continue to serve as the best and most authoritative provider in News and Current affairs in the country, and is committed to developing educational content hence the need to work with the Ministry to educate Ghanaians on the process of digital migration,” she stated.

Managing Editor of 3news.com Henry Nii Dottey, General Manager (News) Joseph Warungu and CFO of MG Antwi Wiredu Pearl Esua-Mensah stated that the MG group is taking seriously the digital platform and is working towards drastic improvement of its online content.