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Former GBC CEO Professor Karikari spoke about the transition on Citi TV
• Ghana started transmitting color television in 1985
• Funding for the transition was obtained through a Japanese grant
• A former CEO of GBC spoke about the conditions that led to this feat
Ghana’s transition from black and white to color television took place 36 years ago under the military rule led by Jerry John Rawlings.
According to a man who was at the center of the action leading up to this transition, the then national broadcaster – The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, GBC – suffered from chronic stress during the transition.
Professor Kwame Karikari, former CEO of GBC, told the host of Citi TV’s “Footprints” that it took a Japanese grant of three million dollars to help make the transition.
He noted that being at GBC in the heady days of the revolution was partly difficult but also exciting, but resource constraints also meant that drastic decisions had to be made.
“Being at GBC back then was very difficult and very exciting. As CEO, the biggest issues were the condition of GBC’s facilities. When I went there the cameras weren’t working, there was only one studio camera and everything was taped up, it wasn’t very good.
“And we were still black and white, because of the facilities, GBC was still transmitting television (during)… about six hours a day but because of the system, we even had to cut it down to another three hours. It was terrible but the radio was still working, ”he added.
He went on to explain how he contacted the then information secretary who had led him to Jerry John Rawlings, head of the Provisional National Defense Council, PNDC, to introduce him to GBC’s challenges.
“I worked hard, I spoke to the then information secretary, the late Ato Austin, we went to Rawlings and we said television was important but we couldn’t go on. If we force it, the station could close, so we would have to reduce it to three hours.
“And then I worked hard and got the Japanese to give us a $ 3 million grant to fix the television and bring in color television at the time. By the time I was leaving the contract was in place, when I left in ’84, around 1985, they brought this thing in, ”said.
Records indicate that Ghana began with colored transmission in 1985 during the Rawlings era. Later, when Rawlings transformed after 1992 into a Democrat, the private media would thrive in the big industry it is today.
Long-time academician Professor Karikari also explained in various ways how GBC had become a barracks with a large military deployment, as it was understood at the time that any successful coup would need the plotters to gain control. from the Burmese camp and GBC.
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