RECRUIT PROFESSIONALS TO HANDLE PROGRAMMES (PAGE 29)

A Media Consultant and team leader of the Centre for Development Communication, Mr Gariba Ibrahim, has exhorted managers of FM stations in the metropolis to ensure that they recruit professionals and people with the requisite skills to handle their respective programmes.
He said the situation where programmes on the stations were left in the hands of amateurs was drawing a wedge between the people, further polarising the area.
‘‘Moderation by some of the hosts at the stations leaves much to be desired, and as a result, some callers are made to go away with their unguided utterances when they could have simply been stopped from insulting or defaming others,’’ Mr Gariba said.
The consultant, who was speaking to the Daily Graphic in Tamale last Wednesday, also cautioned managers of the stations not to allow individuals or groups of people to buy airtime on their stations to cast insinuations or aspersions at their opponents at the least opportunity.
He further said that with this year’s general elections fast approaching, and the various political parties intensifying their campaigns, it was important that managers of the stations ensured that political discussions were carried out with circumspection.
The consultant also charged media practitioners to dwell on issues that would unite the people and accelerate the pace of development of the metropolis and the region in general instead of emphasising matters that had the tendency to divide the citizenry.
‘‘As much as you want to make money, you should be careful not to allow your stations to be used in generating tensions and causing conflicts, because when there is no law and order, you cannot also operate successfully,’’ Mr Gariba stated.
Another growing phenomenon among the stations is the use of the Akan language instead of the local dialects to communicate in the area.
‘‘Much as I agree that Akan is widely spoken, we should also remember that one essence of the radio is to improve on the cultural dynamics of the people of which the use of their own dialogue is paramount,’’ he intimated.
Mr Gariba said Radio Savanna, which was state owned, had also become guilty of late in the use of the Akan language by some of its presenters.
‘‘This is most unfortunate because majority of the people do not speak or understand Akan in this area.’’
There are currently six FM stations operating in the metropolis out of which five are privately owned. They are Diamond FM, Radio Justice, Filla FM, North Star, Ridge FM and Radio Savanna.

End.