Ghana Broadcasting Corporation launches 90th anniversary celebration

The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) has been urged to continue leveraging its historical role as a powerful medium for cultural diversity to promote national unity and cultural pride.

This could be achieved through language and storytelling to prove that broadcasting can go beyond information delivery to shape civic values, national identity and mutual respect among the nation’s diverse ethnic communities, a Senior Lecturer in Public History at the Bath Spa University in the UK, Dr Victoria Smith, has said.

“Over the last 25 years that I have spent in Ghana, I have witnessed the power of radio and television to celebrate this country’s incredible, multicultural, multilingual diversity to guide viewers and listeners in acts of democracy and tolerance for cultural exchange,” the lecturer added.

She was delivering a lecture to mark the launch of the 90th anniversary of GBC in Accra on the theme: “ GBC, the first chapter; The making of national radio.”

History

Dr Smith, who is also a former lecturer at the University of Ghana (UG), traced the evolution of broadcasting from its colonial origins in 1935 to the nation’s pivotal moment of independence in 1957, revealing how radio transcended mere technological innovation to becoming a powerful instrument of cultural and political unity.

She said radio originally served colonial interests through a controlled rediffusion system, but gradually became a platform for African voices and aspirations.

“By introducing local language broadcasting during World War Il, the service broke linguistic barriers and connected diverse Ghanaian communities,” Dr Smith added.

She further said that by the time of independence, radio had become more than a communication tool – it was a collective experience that helped forge a new national consciousness, symbolising the transition from colonial subjugation to self-determination.

Rebirth

The Director-General of GBC, Professor Amin Alhassan, said there was the need for an institutional rebirth, using the life cycle of the eagle as a powerful metaphor.

He explained that like the eagle, which must undergo a painful renewal process at 40 years to live longer, GBC, though 90 years old, must also undergo transformation to remain relevant.

Prof. Amin said the rebirth required shedding outdated systems and mindsets, just as the eagle shed its old beak, talons and feathers.

He said the state broadcaster had grown tired and must now embrace change through a new scheme of service and strategic plan to redefine its direction.

“We can do this when we jettison a mindset of entitlement to a performance-driven mindset. Change is unpleasant as exemplified by the metaphor of the eagle. It requires that we move from the familiar to the unfamiliar. It can be very disconcerting,” the D-G added.

Commendation

The Chair of the National Media Commission (NMC), Prof. Akua Biritwum, commended GBC’s resilience over 90 years, and urged it to stay true to its public service mandate.

She emphasised their role in national development, cultural preservation and credible broadcasting, while assuring them of NMC’s support for its independence, relevance and rejuvenation.