SECTOR 4

Panellists highlighted a need to ensure that media education is more practical,
rather than just theoretical. An example was noted, whereby, “There was a
student that after dealing with confidentiality and protecting children, went and
wrote a story about a child who had been defiled. They gave the child a fictitious
name, but still gave the real name of the sister and played [the] child’s voice.”
Enhancing the practicality of training may have averted a case like this, it was
argued.
The University of Ghana also provides Masters level training, with an intake of
about 40 students per year. However, the quality of students applying for the
programme leaves much to be desired. According to a panellist connected to the
university, “We have noticed that people coming to do the M.A. [Masters of Arts]
programmes are weak from the very beginning, especially those coming from the
private universities. We get many who qualify, but those on the waiting list often
end up coming in because of payment issues.”
Some media houses, such as The Ghanaian Times and the Daily Dispatch (more
research focused), have in-house training programmes. The GBC has an internal
radio training school, along with a programme that allows its students to go for
training outside Ghana.

Scores:
Individual scores:
1

Country does not meet indicator

2

Country meets only a few aspects of indicator

3

Country meets some aspects of indicator

4

Country meets most aspects of indicator

5

Country meets all aspects of the indicator

Average score:

70

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER GHANA 2017

3.5 (2006:4.7; 2008:3.8; 2011:3.5;
2013:3.8)

Select target paragraph3