The National Communications Authority (NCA) on Thursday 30th June,2022 held a Frequency Module (FM) Coverage Compliance Workshop for some FM Radio Authorization Holders at the NCA Tower in Accra. The Workshop which was attended by about sixty (60) participants from thirty–one (31) radio stations who are in violation of their coverage requirements was organized in wake of the collaborative regulation strategy adopted by the NCA which is being championed by the Board of Directors of the Authority.
Giving a presentation on the Coverage Compliance, the Acting Director of Engineering at the NCA, Rev. ING. Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko noted that as part of the NCA’s mandate to regulate radio frequency spectrum for broadcasting services and to determine technical and other standards for the operation of broadcasting services, there was a need for a reclassification of FM Radio station in 2013. The reclassification is to ensure a reduction in the the maximum coverage of FM radio signals to 45km which is to apply to new stations from 2013 and existing stations upon renewal of their Authorizations.
He noted that out of the thirty- seven(37) stations that the NCA conducted a Coverage Compliance Monitoring Exercise at Ahwerase and its environs (Akuapem Mountains) to assess coverage compliance, thirty -one (31) of them were in violation of the coverage requirement in at least one direction.
Rev. Ing. Fianko went on to explain that the NCA has acquired state–of–the–art equipment including the Broadcast Monitoring System to monitor and ensure the compliance of the conditions entailed in the FM Broadcasting Authorization. Taking the participants through findings of the monitoring exercise, he highlighted the methodology of the report hinting of the NCA’s readiness to assist Authorization holders who may have difficulty in the process of reducing their transmitter signal strength.
Attendees were informed that the NCA will be continuing with this monitoring for the rest of the country and at regular intervals. The NCA will continue to perform its regulatory functions which include monitoring the performance of operations of authorization and license holders to ensure compliance for a streamlined industry.
