A group of individuals believed to be affiliated with the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) stormed the studio of Accra-based United Television (UTV) on Saturday, October 7, 2023. The group disrupted the live late-night entertainment show, ‘United Showbiz,’ leading to the interruption of the broadcast.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The intrusion prompted the station to halt the show for several minutes before the police arrived to restore order. Sixteen suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Stakeholders, including the Ministry of Information, the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), and the National Media Commission (NMC), have condemned the attack. The group that invaded the studio claimed that ‘United Showbiz’ had been turned into a political platform and demanded an apology from A Plus, a musician and political activist, for allegedly tearing a letter addressed to UTV management regarding the show’s content.
The intruders occupied seats originally meant for guests and demanded to know the whereabouts of A Plus. They criticized the program for allegedly putting the government of Akufo-Addo/Dr. Bawumia in a negative light.
MzGee, the hostess of the show, explained the disruption to viewers, saying, “We had some uninvited guests who came to disrupt our show…we didn’t plan to go on that long break, but we were forced to break due to the invasion.”
The incident reportedly left staff and producers traumatized, with the director of photography and a producer allegedly assaulted during the confrontation.
The attack on the UTV studio has raised concerns about freedom of the press and media independence in Ghana. Authorities are investigating the incident, and more details are expected to emerge as the investigation progresses.