UTV Management Failed to Act Professionally –  Kwabena Frimpong

The Deputy Protocol Director of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Kwabena Frimpong, has stated that the management of United Television Ghana (UTV) acted unprofessionally when the NPP wrote an official letter to them with respect to the ” politicized” United Showbiz entertainment program.

He started that by respectfully writing a letter to the management of the TV station regarding the party’s reservation on the UTV entertainment program, which has been turned into a political show with frequently disparaging remarks and criticism directed at the leadership of the NPP, President Akufo Addo, as well as making the Vice President, Dr. Bawumia, a subject of public ridicule in recent episodes of the program. In view of that, the leadership of the governing NPP, mindful of the vital role the media plays in the democratic space, wrote to the management of UTV to also give the party an opportunity of representation to balance the discourse, or better yet, make the producers of the program concentrate on its intended purpose rather than turning it into politics, as “A Plus,” a panelist on the show, tore the letter into pieces on the live program.

“How on earth would the management of UTV give a confidential letter meant for management to a penalist on a show to describe such an important official letter as “stupid” and subsequently tear it into pieces on live TV? That was total disrespect to the party for over a week, and the management of the station failed to apologize to the party. Can you imagine? If it were the other way around, hell would have broken loose with GJA writing a long thesis without tackling the substantive issues. Disregard anyone who says it was a  photocopy; it i an original letter. Check the color cover and the white attachment letter.”

Mr. Frimpong further added that “religion, tribe, politics, etc. are some of the causative agents for conflicts among people because they touch on the emotions of people and are sensitive too. Can you imagine what would have happened if the said letter had come from a UK or USA embassy and was torn on live TV? The management shouldn’t have leaked the document to a penalist, and more importantly, they should have condemned and apologized unreservedly to the party and the viewers of the show immediately after the barbaric act by their panelists.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Frimpong added that he supports the letter from the party condemning and dissociating itself from the invasion of some alleged party members into the UTV studio during the controversial United Showbiz program to demand that they be allowed to represent the party.

Mr. Frimpong made these known on the Movement TV morning political show hosted by Kwaku Dawuro and monitored by Ghana Media Online and the Daily Searchlight Newspaper.

In his conclusion, he advised that when issues of this nature happen, institutions like GJA should not be in a hurry to attack and condemn but should instead allow cool heads to prevail and look into the substance of the issues at hand and address them accordingly to prevent future occurrences.