Ghanaian actress and film producer Selassie Ibrahim has publicly criticized local television channels, claiming that their practices have played a major role in the collapse of Ghana's once-thriving film industry, known as “Ghallywood.”
In an impassioned interview, Ibrahim expressed her frustration with the television industry’s treatment of Ghanaian content, accusing local channels of favoring cheap foreign films over quality local productions. She believes this has created an unsustainable business model for filmmakers in the country.
### The Unprofitable Dilemma of Local Content
Ibrahim, a prominent figure in the industry for decades, highlighted the growing disparity between production costs and the fees offered by television stations for local films. She pointed out that while filmmakers spend large sums—sometimes as much as $20,000 to $30,000—producing films, they are only paid a fraction of that amount when their work is acquired by local channels.
“Look, the TV channels are not helping us. I’ll say it again. I don’t care what they think or say,” she asserted, stressing that despite the backlash she has faced for voicing her concerns in the past, she remains firm in her criticism. Ibrahim explained that the poor acquisition fees offered by television stations often drive producers into financial ruin, making it nearly impossible for them to recover their investments.
“You shoot content, send it to TV channels, and they offer you a thousand Ghana cedis [GH₵1,000], when you’ve spent over $20,000 to $30,000,” she said. “This pricing structure doesn’t work; it’s a major reason for the industry’s stagnation.”
### Prioritizing Cheap Foreign Films Over Local Productions
Ibrahim also expressed frustration over what she views as the industry's prioritization of outdated foreign content over new, locally-produced films. She criticized local channels for purchasing foreign movies that are often years old, after they have already earned profits in international markets.
“Yet they go and buy movies that are 10 years old, which have already made their money in cinemas. How is that helping the local film industry?” she questioned, pointing to the irony of local channels choosing these films over fresh, homegrown content.
This practice, she argues, is harmful to the indigenous creative economy. Ibrahim lamented that local filmmakers are unable to break even due to the unfair distribution and acquisition practices of the television stations, accusing them of deliberately undermining the sector.
### The Cultural Divide: Why Ghanaians Don’t Support Their Own
Ibrahim also touched on the cultural biases that she believes contribute to the decline of Ghanaian films. She highlighted a tendency for Ghanaians to embrace foreign content while dismissing their own local productions.
“When you go to Nigeria, you don’t see them watching Ghanaian movies. But in Ghana, anything foreign is celebrated; everything Ghanaian is seen as inferior. People criticize our films without giving them a chance. We don’t know how to celebrate our own, and that’s what has killed the Ghanaian movie industry,” she said, reflecting on the broader cultural problem.
Ghana’s film industry, which saw rapid growth in the early 2000s, has been in sharp decline since 2015. Factors such as low TV licensing fees, the rise of cheap satellite channels, and the lack of government quotas for local content—unlike in countries such as Nigeria and South Africa—have been blamed for the industry’s struggles.
### A Call for Change
Ibrahim believes that the recovery of the industry lies in the hands of regulatory bodies and television channel owners. She calls for fair pricing structures and a more supportive approach to local programming to help revitalize the sector. For the industry to thrive again, she insists that these key players must work together to prioritize local talent and content.
“Until these channels start supporting us, the situation won’t change. The industry is dying, but it can be revived with proper regulation and support from the right people,” she concluded.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
0 Comments