THE National Family Commission will in this the year 2013 attempt to resurrect the 1912 cinematography legislation as it seeks to ensure that it protects the values and monitor media content which can be harmful to family life and values.

This is according to the present chairman of the commission Reverend Kwame Gilbert during an exclusive interview with the state media on Friday. He said that in the year 2013 the commission hopes to have some amount of censorship as it relates to content of radio, television programmes and aspects of printed content.
He added that this move is to ensure that the commission clamps down on media content which can be considered harmful to the family.
Gilbert explained that the move will be part of many of its work programme for 2013. He said that since the life of the commission was extended by  cabinet last year July, the work was more or less confined to establishing the work plan and guiding principles as well as designing the work plans which the Commission hopes to implement to better serve the family.
According to the chairman,  part of the work plan is looking back at the 1912 Cinematography Legislation which will be studied. He said that the legislation will be examined to see where there are possible clauses that can be amended.
Gilbert added that while the Commission has not yet examined any aspect of the legislation to see where the amendments can be made if any at all, there are some snags the commission is prepared for. He said that with legislation as old as the one being eyed it is anticipated that there will be some difficulties especially with  freedom of the press legislation.
He stated that  freedom of the press, which allows the media its right in the expression and presentation of its information, the resurrection of the decades-old legislation will undoubting bring some concerns and challenges.
He said that among the issues will be how much the amendments can censor the media and its programme content in a free and democratic state. While admitting that there is not yet any clear vision of where the issues will arise what will be done is the checking to see where the old legislation contradicts some of the recently passed legislation.
As part of the other priorities of the National Family Commission in 2013 is to look at advocacy, family and parenting in certain regions where there is a view that parenting seems to an issue. The target will be young parents while attention will also be placed on men.
Fatherhood will definitely be on the radar according to Reverend Gilbert. The commission plans to take its activities to the door-steps of men and that includes the rum and barber shops along with other areas that men are known to frequent. He explained that this approach will be taken because men are not always willing or able to come to the areas where issues and other sessions to address their concerns are held.
The National Family Commission was initially conceived in 1998 and as from then to now has had several lives with various commissions. This present commission has been operating since July 2012.