There have been many times in our Ghanaian lives, when we learned to live without choice. If we ordered Coke and were given Fanta we took it like that; if we ordered chicken and got fish, we did not complain; if we wanted sardines but got Geisha, or tea but got Milo instead, we felt lucky that we got anything at In those bad old days of no choice, our lives were dominated by the king of the airwaves, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, now known variously by such sleek names as GAR, and GTV.
Until late last year, my drive-time was captured exclusively by GBC, for my car stereo does not allow for a tape with which to diversify my listening pleasure. My choice was either GBC , the sound of emptiness.
Not so now, GBC has plenty of company so that when I get sick of the pontification, complaining and talk of KVIPs and taxi drivers on Good Morning Accra, I simply seek friendlier airwaves.
I find Joy in 99.7, and dig for Gold on 90.5. I Groove on 106.3 and feel the Vibe on 91.9. I even can hear familiar voice on 105.7, the Voice of Legon (VOL).
Choice is sweet, competition even sweeter. Not only has the king transformed in name, he has transformed in nature and now stays up late just for our listening pleasure.
Following its partner Joy's example, GAR now constantly reminds us they are on top of the game by belting out American-sounding station identification tunes. King GBC, from all indications, has not in the face of competition, abdicated the throne yet.
I have my favourites among these stations, but listening to all their competitive noise, listening to their choice of music and listening to their various DJs speaking in LAFA (locally acquired foreign ac-cents) I am not so sure the difference is all that clear between the six FMs currently on air.
True, GBC and Joy spice up things with their talk programmes. But Gold, Groove and Vibe, who are currently test broadcasting, sound suspiciously like Joy. Even GAR is now sounding like the "small boys." And therein lies my worry.
Damfopa, we optimists were hoping that radio pluralism would bring some diversity on the air.
We had hoped for stations each with different programs targeted at different interest groups and catering for different tastes. We don't find that now.
Thus far, the mould and model for most of our radio stations appear to derive from America, rather than from within our borders. Still, I won't look a gift horse in the mouth. I think the choice we have now is better than no choice at all.
Since most of the stations are just test transmitting for now, we hope that by the time they work out their technical problems and fully come on air, they would have defined their market niche to bring us the diversity we so need.
Besides what we hear now, there is more to come.
According to a document put out by the Ministry of Information (MOI), some 33 or so frequencies were registered last year for broadcast - three are for TV, 14 for wireless cable re-broadcast, 4 for satellite re-broadcast, six for FM radio in the Accra metropolis and four for FM radio in Kumasi.
Also three companies - AGC, VRA and Ghana Australian Goldfields have been allocated frequencies.
It's difficult to determine who is behind which station since registration was done through company names and post office box numbers. We how-ever, know that such well-known names as Kwaw Ansah's Film Africa and Kwame Kludieson's Videomart have been allocated frequencies with which to broadcast. We wait in anticipation.
Also Presidential hopeful and "asew" of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, Mr Kwame Pianim, has been allocated frequencies for TV and radio broad-cast. Should he win and become president, his broadcast ownership could raise certain interesting issues for me, but I shall not digress or speculate now.
Then of course there are all the fronts, the names we don't recognise but behind whom are hidden better-known political and business names.
The list of Accra FMs in the MOI document includes the famous Independent Media Corporation of Ghana, owners of our first private, even if pirate Accra FM - Radio Eye. Although the Eye people applied and were interviewed for a frequency and have qualified to operate an FM station in the Accra-Tema area, the Frequency Allocation and Registration Board (FARB), has put them on hold pending their case before the Supreme Court.I hear the case will be heard soon.
But that is not all the palaver in these heady times of free choice on our airwaves.The National Media Commission is also challenging the FARB's authority to allocate frequencies in the first place. Should they have a case, all the newly allocated frequencies and new radio stations could be declared illegal.
But, while the elephants slug things out in and out of our law courts, I shall exercise my options by picking through six dials. Damfopa, join me in say-ing: Welcome independent radio, welcome choice.
Source : The Mirror
Comments
Post a Comment