The Chairperson of the National Media Commission (NMC), Professor Akua Opokua Britwum, has proposed an urgent revisit to the vexed issue of funding of public institutions with state responsibilities.
She also called for the re-examination of the commodification of the media space and what it meant for the country in the face of high taxes and other overhead costs in newspaper production.
Prof. Britwum made the call when she led commissioners of the NMC on a familiarisation tour of the Graphic Communications Group Ltd (GCGL), publishers of Daily Graphic and six other brands, including its online portal graphic.com.gh.
"We understand that yours (Daily Graphic) is a core commitment to mobilise towards national development," she stressed.
Commendation
The meeting between the NMC and the Board members, and management of GCGL offered the newly appointed commissioners the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the activities of the company.
Samuel Doe Ablordeppey (right), News Editor, Daily Graphic, briefing members of the NMC on the activities of the Graphic Newsroom. With him is Theophilus Yartey (2nd from right), Editor, Graphic. Picture: DOUGLAS ANANE-FRIMPONG
Prof. Britwum, an academic, commended the Daily Graphic for holding governments in check.
She, however, cautioned against focusing "too much on the market" and missing out on its core mandate.
She said the insulation of state institutions from governmental control did not mean being in opposition to the state.
The Managing Director (MD) of the GCGL, Ato Afful, said the company had survived the years without subvention from the government “to the best of our abilities."
"We have provided for ourselves till today and still have to fulfil the public good,” he stressed.
Briefing the NMC members on how the business works, Mr Afful lamented that even though Graphic runs a cedi-denominated business, between 85 to 90 per cent of its raw materials, including newsprint, are quoted in either euros or dollars, raising its overhead cost.
He, therefore, appealed to the government, through parliament, for tax waivers to help lower the cost of production.
Mr Afful said the euro-dollar saga remained the core challenge of doing business and, therefore, called for immediate intervention.
"Our business runs on an advertising-funded model", with Graphic Digital also doing very well, but it's not enough to shoulder the entire expenditure of the company.
“Balancing between the newspaper remaining relevant and making revenue, the company has to explore other ventures, including corporate organisations’ programmes, to rake in the needed funds,” he said.
This, he said, also offered opportunities to connect with stakeholders.
Mr Afful said that despite exploring other areas in the business, the Daily Graphic newspaper remained key to the company’s brands.
Facilities
He told the commissioners that the company had 34 residential units across the country to house staff, a clinic, a press house, as well as other physical structures, while running a courier service.
As the company marks its 75th anniversary tomorrow (October 2, 2025), he gave an assurance that it remained faithful to its core mandate, "and this we guard seriously and religiously."
A board member, Prof. Samuel Afranie, briefed members of the NMC on a three-year recovery plan to turn things around for the company.
Present at the meeting were members of the NMC and the board and management of GCGL.
