The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) has held a commemorative lecture at the Broadcasting House to mark its 90th anniversary celebrations.

The event, held under the theme “GBC: The First Chapter, the Making of a National Radio”, sought to chart a new path for the national broadcaster while reflecting on its journey and achievements since its inception.

In his opening address, the Director-General of GBC, Professor Amin Alhassan, said the Corporation had over the decades remained committed to its core mission of informing, educating, and entertaining Ghanaians in all parts of the country.

He noted that GBC had evolved through various names and formats but had always strived to reflect Ghana’s cultural diversity.

Prof. Alhassan described the history of Ghanaian radio as one that needed to be told in full, acknowledging that early broadcasts included local languages like Hausa and Mosi, which demonstrated the diverse roots of the station.

He used the metaphor of an eagle’s life cycle to describe the current state of GBC.

According to him, like the eagle at 40, GBC had reached a point where it needed to undergo a painful but necessary renewal process to remain strong and relevant.

“At 90, we must knock off the tired beak, pluck out old feathers, and grow new ones. This is the only way we can take flight again,” he said.

The Director-General said this transformation would involve the introduction of a new scheme of service and a strategic plan that would shift the mindset of staff from entitlement to performance.

“Change is not pleasant, but it is necessary,” he emphasized, calling for a collective effort to prepare GBC for the next 90 years.

He also highlighted the need for a media historian to help uncover and document the full story of GBC’s past, which he said was crucial for the institution’s rebirth and future planning.

Chairperson of the National Media Commission (NMC), Professor Akua Biritwum, added that GBC had come a long way and proven skeptics wrong by demonstrating that Ghanaians could run and sustain a public broadcaster.

She reminded GBC of its vital role in national development, saying it was not just a broadcaster but a guide in shaping public opinion and inspiring hope among citizens.

“You are the ones to point out where we are as a country and where we can go,” she noted.

Prof. Biritwum urged GBC to remain focused on producing content that reflected Ghanaian and African values while maintaining high standards and resisting the temptation of sensationalism.

She further emphasized the importance of creative collaborations with writers and artists to strengthen the Corporation’s cultural output.

The NMC Chairperson expressed confidence that GBC’s efforts to rejuvenate itself would bear fruit, and pledged the Commission’s support in helping the broadcaster stay independent, relevant, and credible.

The lecture, which forms part of activities lined up for the 90th anniversary, brought together former and current staff, media scholars, and industry stakeholders.

It was aimed at reflecting on the broadcaster’s legacy and setting the tone for its future direction.

GBC was established in 1935 and remains Ghana’s only public service broadcaster with a constitutional mandate to operate independently and serve the interests of all Ghanaians.

By Jacob Aggrey