NCA grants Radio Gold and others the green light to operate

Ghana’s communication regulator, the National Communications Authority (NCA) has approved the issuance of broadcasting licenses to some 133 FM media outlets including  Radio Gold, which was shut down following the 2017 FM Audit.

The approval includes new applications from companies whose FM radio stations were shuttered following the 2017 FM Audit, as well as existing stations seeking to renew their expiring FM Radio broadcasting authorizations.

They will not, however, automatically receive their old frequencies.

The NCA’s Governing Board gave its approval on Monday, October 11, 2021.

According to a press release by the NCA on October 12, 2021, the firms submitted fresh applications on which the NCA granted them the licenses.

“The Board’s decision is conditional on the applicants completing a workshop on the terms and conditions of FM radio broadcasting licenses.”

According to the release, “the workshop will clarify the legal, regulatory, and technical criteria for the formation and operation of an FM Radio Broadcasting station.”

It said that provisional authorizations would be awarded to successful applicants at the conclusion of the workshop and that frequencies would be assigned to them only if the Provisional Authorization’s conditions were met.

It reminded the public that without a frequency authorization from the Authority, a person cannot operate a broadcasting system or provide a broadcasting service under Section 2(4) of the Electronic Communications Act, 2008, Act 775.

According to Section 73 of Act 775 of 2008, offenders are liable on summary conviction to a fine of not more than three thousand penalty units, a term of imprisonment of not more than five years, or both.

Source: Richard Mensah Adonu | Join our Telegram Group

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