GHone TV cannot be punished for showing pornographic video – John Essien
Ghanaian broadcast journalist, John Essien has called on critics of the EIB’s GHone television to desist from their campaign for the National Media Commission (NMC) to suspend the station for showing a pornographic video.
GHone TV on Thursday night showed some hardcore pornographic content on their late-night program, DUVET which got many Ghanaians talking and calling for the NMC’s media regulations to be enforced on the station.
But the News Editor of Focus FM, in a Facebook post indicated that the National media Commission does not have the legal right to sanction GHone TV for showing that Pornographic video.
According to him, when the NMC passed a legislative instrument (LI 224) some time in 2017 to properly regulate the media on instances such as meting out punishment to media houses who would show such advanced explicit content, the Ghana Independent Broadcasters’ Association (GIBA) did not support them and sought legal redress at the Supreme Court.
“The Supreme Court ruled that the said legislative instrument could only be used as guidelines but cannot be enforced under the law,” he wrote.
He noted that GIBA at the time argued that LI when passed, would infringe on press freedom.
John Essien, however, indicated that the nature of the NMC’s regulations does not prevent them from talking to the management of GHone TV.
“But it doesn’t stop the NMC from talking to the conscience of GHone,” he said.
SHOULD GHone TV BE PUNISHED?Unfortunately, the National Media Commission (NMC) does not have the legal right to…
Posted by John Essien on Friday, April 10, 2020
Nana Aba Anamoah Apologises
Meanwhile, the Acting General Manager of GHOne TV, Nana Aba Anamoah has on behalf of EIB Network rendered an unqualified apology to Ghanaians for showing the pornographic video on their late-night Duvet show.
She took to Twitter a few hours after the video went viral on social media platforms to say “GHone TV wishes to sincerely apologize to its cherished viewers on the unfortunate turn of events regarding your favourite late-night programme, DUVET, a few hours ago. Even though the show is x-rated, we concede that the nature of the content tonight was inappropriate”.
She noted that persons responsible for the unfortunate incident would be sanctioned accordingly.
