Executive Secretary for the National Media Commission (NMC), George Sarpong has said that media houses are not required to submit programmes to the Commission for approval.

This comes after claims that there was a provision in the law requiring broadcasters to submit their programmes for clearance.

But reacting to this, Mr. Sarpong said such provision “doesn’t exist in the law.”

“What this law required in regulation 3, is the standard that applies everywhere in the world. If you look at it very closely, and I really challenge everybody who finds that regulation; there is a requirement that each programme that you produce you should bring to us.

“The court mentions programme content a number of times in the judgement. That phrase doesn’t even appear anywhere in the law,” he said.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday, he said the media houses are however required “to obtain permission before you could run content services in electronic communications.”

He also highlighted to broadcasters why the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) does not find portions of the law objectionable but finds LI 22 to be problematic.

He said: “In sections 207 and 208, they as owners are exempted from punishment almost. The provisions in those laws target the speaker. In LI 224 we make sure that there was not a single provision that target a journalist or a presenter. We put all the responsibilities on the operator for them to implement the necessary gatekeeping measures within the organisation.”