The electronic media risk closure if they contravene a new legislative instrument LI 2224 passed by Parliament to empower the National Media Commission, NMC, to sanitize the airwaves.

The law allows the NMC to establish and maintain standards in the distribution of the content of public electronic communication and broadcasting services.

The LI, content standards Regulations 2015, passed by Parliament in December 2015, also empowers the NMC to grant content authorization to an operator or revoke same, if an operator, comprising mainstream radio and television broadcasters, telecommunications operators or their agents or any company that distributes electronic content, contravenes the regulations.

In an interview on the importance of the new law, the Executive Secretary of the NMC, George Sarpong, said it is to ensure that distributors of content employ minimum standards in their work.

Mr Sarpong said there are now evolving platforms for the delivery of content other than the traditional electronic services such as the radio, television and the internet.

Credit: GBC