Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) has refuted claims by broadcaster Kwasi Kyei Darkwa, affectionately called “KKD”, that the broadcasting network took him off the station's morning show.
KKD, in an interview on Onua TV, accused the management of GTV of being instructed by the government to take such punitive action against him purportedly because due to his recent severe rebuke against some officials within the government as well as some decisions of the government.
“They have asked them not to allow me there and that is why I have not been there…If they deny saying this, let them ask the Director-General of GTV, and the producers at GTV about what they told me that has made me not go there again,” he alleged.
But GBC, in a statement, describes the allegations by KKD as “unfortunate”, stressing “the claim is not true and can only be a product of his imagination”.
“It will be unlawful for Government to determine who comes on our platforms”, it added.
The State broadcaster further stated; “GBC is guided by the ethics of public service broadcasting journalism. We do not allow our guests to make allegations against other persons who are not present or do not have the immediate opportunity to respond.”
It also stressed that “we also retire panelists who over time change their style of discourse into a form that is unbefitting of GBC’s editorial guidelines”.
Read full statement below:
The Management of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, operators of TV, has taken note of a news item purported to be caused by Kwasi Kyei Darkwa alleging that the Government instructed GBC not to allow him to appear on TV.
If this statement is truly coming from Kwasi Kyei Darkwa, it would be unfortunate. The claim is not true and can only be a product of his imagination.
Management of GBC wishes to put it on record that the Corporation does not take instructions from the Government when it comes to content production. Management is fully aware that it will be unlawful for Government to determine who comes on our platforms. GBC is guided by the ethics of public service broadcasting journalism. We do not allow our guests to make allegations against other persons who are not present or do not have the immediate opportunity to respond.
We are also not into adversarial journalism, and panellists who adopt a combative style of discourse are not accommodated on GBC’s network.
GBC provides opportunities to panellists of all political persuasions to speak on our platforms and may retire them when there is a change in our content plan.
We also retire panellists who over time change their style of discourse into a form that is unbefitting of GBC’s editorial guidelines.
We wish to remind all Ghanaians that GBC requires the support of all as it is being transformed into a public service broadcasting service as anticipated by the 1992 Constitution and subsequent Supreme Court decisions.
