The station was shut down for failing to pay its licence fees
A member of the National Media Commission (NMC) and Managing Editor of the Daily Searchlight, Ken Kuranchie, has called on the management of Montie FM to settle their differences with the National Communications Authority (NCA) that led to the shutdown of the station.
According to him, although he disagrees with most of the positions taken by the station on national issues, the Accra-based station adds more colour to the political discourse of the country. To that end, the managers of the station should act quickly to bring the station back on air.
The NCA has shut down pro-opposition Montie FM for failing to pay its licence fees.
The National Pen reported on Thursday that the NCA issued a letter to Montie FM dated 27 September, informing management of the revocation of the licence.
According to the paper, another pro-opposition radio station, Radio Gold, is also likely to be shut down for failing to pay its licence fee over a period.
Both Montie FM and Radio Gold belong to the Network Broadcasting Limited.
Speaking in an interview with ClassFMonline.com on Thursday, September 28 Mr Kuranchie said: “I grieve whenever I hear of any media organisation being forced to shut down for any reason. It is my hope that whatever the differences between the Montie FM and the National Communications Authority (NCA) are, these differences will be resolved as quickly as possible.
“If you listen to Montie FM, it adds a lot of colour to our political space, even though I disagree vehemently with some of the positions of that station, I believe they should be allowed to be on air so far as they meet their statutory obligations. So the owners of the station should engage the National Communications Authority and see where they can find the middle ground so that the station can come back on air.”
When asked to react to persons who may read political meanings into the shut down since the station has been critical of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, he said: “Fortunately for us, the people who own Montie FM are not small shacks, these are powerful people who have a lot of voice. If they suspect that this is political, I think that they have the space to exactly prove factually why this is political.”
