The former Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), Ambassador Kabral Blay-Amihere, has called for a review of the NMC's composition and operations to effectively regulate Ghana's rapidly expanding media landscape.

Speaking at the Ghana Journalists Association's (GJA) 75th anniversary public lecture at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ambassador Blay-Amihere emphasised the need for a full-time regulatory body.

He noted that when the NMC was established, the media environment consisted of a few newspapers, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), and the Ghana News Agency (GNA).

Today, there are over 500 radio and television stations and an extensive presence of social media platforms.

He indicated that the current part-time structure of the NMC, with its 18-member body meeting periodically, is insufficient for the comprehensive regulation required today.

Ambassador Blay-Amihere further emphasised the need for a smaller, full-time commission dedicated to the continuous monitoring and regulation of media content.

He also stressed the urgency of passing the broadcasting bill to empower the NMC to regulate airwaves content effectively.

Despite the absence of this law, he urged the NMC to continue taking measures as mandated by the 1992 Constitution.

The lecture, themed “75 Years of Excellence in Journalism: Honouring the Past and Embracing the Present,” highlighted the evolving challenges and responsibilities faced by the media in Ghana.

In his address, Prof. Charles Ofosu Marfo, Provost of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at KNUST, urged the media to hold the government accountable in the fight against illegal mining and corruption. He underscored the media's critical role in promoting transparency and good governance.