TV Stations have Literally pushed us out of business – Selassie Ibrahim

Ghanaian actress, producer, philanthropist and CEO of Jabneel Impact, Selassie Ibrahim, has revealed that one major obstacle that is breaking the backbone of the Ghanaian movie industry is TV stations in Ghana.

Speaking in an interview on e. TV Ghana’s ‘The Late Nite Celebrity Show’, about if Ghanaian TV stations are helping improve the movie industry, she said “the Ghanaian TV stations are stingy when it comes to paying for content.”

“They are not helping. The TV stations have Literally pushed us out of business. How do I go back on set if they are telling me we should do barter. And if you are telling me to give it to you for peanut, how do I pay the writers? ” she fumed.

“The little we produce and take it to them to sell, they are either telling you to do barter or the amount they will tell you will not even pay one artiste. So how can that encourage you to produce and take to the TV Station,” she added.

“In as much as we want to help Ghana and tell the Ghanaian story, we are also business people. It is money we are also using to produce the movies. When you take a movie elsewhere, they give you good price but in your own country they are telling you batter,” she said.

She however urged TV stations to create space for Ghanaian movie producers.

“Every station is flooded with Spanish, India and Chinese Telenovela. Yes it is good, that is how they make money. But they should also create space for us and be nice to us to help us build the industry,” she said.

Selassie Ibrahim’s comments come at a time where industry players and patrons have expressed worry over how foreign content has swept the Ghanaian TV space at the neglect of local productions.

By; Amaka Joyce