The Challenges of Public Service Broadcasting in a Developing Democracy: A Case of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation

Abstract

The mission of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) is ‘to lead the broadcasting communication industry through quality programming which promote the developmental and cultural aspirations of Ghana’. However, the issue of media proliferation or media concentration and funding or finance has contributed to low patronage of GBC, hence the mission becoming unachievable or adamant to attain in the current state of multiple challenges bedevilling the corporation. The main objective of this research is to ascertain and explore the prevailing challenges of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation. To simply identify the current challenges thereof confronting the corporation. Using qualitative method, evidence showed that the inability of GBC to thrive is linked to a number of challenging factors, both internal and external. The internal challenges include: finance or funding (operational expenditure), weak leadership, poor supervision, anachronistic technology and lack of logistics, lack of strategy, unproductive staff attitude (public organisation mentality), poor conditions of service, lack of staff training, terrible attrition rate, legacy debts such as; problems with satisfying long service awards, bureaucracy, branding (image), inadequate attractive broadcast content, less concentration on social events, and lack of instruments for the Pacesetters Band. More so, the external challenges include: viewership and listenership challenges, conflict between commercial and public service role of GBC, legacy debts such as; electricity debts, link expenditure, lack of sponsorship, challenges with transmitters, and finance or funding. Two qualitative approaches were adopted for the study, focus group discussion and in-depth interviews were used in data collection. One group of four persons was used for the focus group discussion and five persons for the in-depth interview. Based on the findings, one of the solutions asserted by some of the participants include; the Director of Marketing, Ms. Clare Bandeng-Yakubo, asserted that, rebranding is a solution. If this is done and GBC is business-like not like the lay down kind of attitude; we need somebody to push people to work and with money, why not. And also GBC must look at the programming too. And according to the Director of Finance, Rev. Ebenezer Botwi, GBC needs to be audited. Auditing meaning that GBC needs to be audited across staff, across equipment…everything and GBC may need some sort of restructuring and funding. That’s what I think. All in all, based on the key findings from the study, the study recommends that; the following key recommendations inscribed in chapter four as articulated by the research participants serve as the solutions for GBC to use as a road map in achieving its mission.