Accra, Aug. 05, GNA— The National Media Commission (NMC) has directed NET2 TV and the Host of “The Seat Show,” Kweku Annan, to retract and apologise for the publication of “unsubstantiated” allegations on his show.
The said publications were made on nine episodes of the programme from April 13, 2022, to May 16, 2022, against Messers Francis Akuamoah Boateng and Bright Okyere- Adjekum.
The Commission, in a statement issued and signed by Mr Alexander Bannerman, Deputy Executive Secretary of NMC and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, on Friday, also directed the television station to remove the alleged offending materials from all its social media platforms.
The statement said the Host, between the date given, aired on the programme what he termed “Expose or the outcome of investigations that he had embarked upon regarding the administration of the Estate of the late John Prempeh,a former Controller and Accountant –General.”
The broadcast alleged that the will of the Late John Prempeh was altered thus, implicating the Complainants in forgery and criminal conduct.
The statement said the Complainant described as “false” and “unsubstantiated”claims, which sought to defame them on a live radio conversation with one John Peter Prempeh-Bonsu, son of the late John Prempeh.
The statement said at the Complaints Settlement Committee, Mr Annan, the Host of the programme could not substantiate the allegations and so, the allegations were rejected and thus concluded that they had no case.
The Commission said it found the behaviour of NET 2 TV and the Host as “unprofessional” and, therefore, directed the station to apologise, retract and treat the apology with the same prominence as the offending material.
“Assuming that the complainants were guilty merely because of not responding did not mean they were guilty of the allegations.
“Therefore, the station did not follow basic ethical journalistic rules by airing a one sided story on the Estate of the late John Prempeh,” the statement added.
Source: Ghana News Agency
