SECTOR 1 1.5 Print publications are not required to obtain permission to publish from state authorities. Print publications are not required to obtain permission from state authorities to publish information. Section 2 (f) of the National Media Commission (NMC) Act and Article 167(d) of the Constitution state that one of the function of the NMC is “to make regulations by constitutional instrument for the registration of newspapers and other publications, except that the regulations shall not provide for the exercise of any direction or control over the professional functions of a person engaged in the production of newspapers or other means of mass communication”. However, any set regulations may not require any person to attain or maintain a licence in the practice of journalism, and content may not be controlled, as noted in the Constitution. The effect of this function of the NMC is questionable: “It has the power to document what exists in the form of a register; but it cannot impose conditions or issue licenses.” Panellists who favoured an increased and more comprehensive registration system noted that such a register should at least contain the name and a brief biography of the editor. “We are happy for the gains that have been made in terms of media freedoms. But the media has been given so much freedom that I feel that there may be some excesses here and there.” Examples that were noted to highlight the “need” for greater regulation included “political and local language journalists” who were reckless in their reporting practices and newspapers that publish simply for radio stations. The panellists were referring to some newspapers that only print a handful of copies and distribute them to radio stations for review on the “newspaper review” programmes. It was noted that such newspapers do not really circulate to a general audience besides the radio stations that review them. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER GHANA 2013 19