Uwazi

WAY FORWARD

The way forward
1. What were the developments in the media
environment in the last two/three years?
Positive developments
UÊ -ˆ˜ViÊÌ iÊÓä£ÓÊiiV̈œ˜Ã]ÊÌ iÊ«ÕLˆVÊ >ÃÊÃÕLiVÌi`ÊÌ iʓi`ˆ>Ê̜Ê}Ài>ÌiÀÊ
scrutiny, and demanded that the media become more accountable,
accurate and fair in its reporting.
UÊ / iÀiÊ >ÃÊLii˜Ê}Ài>ÌiÀÊ>`ۜV>VÞÊ>ÀœÕ˜`ÊÌ iÊ,ˆ} ÌÊ̜ʘvœÀ“>̈œ˜Ê ˆ]Ê
and knowledge of the bill is widespread. What is left is to ensure that
the bill gets passed soon.
UÊ -œ“iÊ “i`ˆ>]Ê ˆ˜VÕ`ˆ˜}Ê The Graphic and The Times, have become
stronger, compared to the levels they were at a few years ago.
UÊ
iÜÊ “i`ˆ>Ê ˆÃÊ Ì>Žˆ˜}Ê >Ê ÃÌÀœ˜}iÀÊ œ`]Ê >˜`Ê «iœ«iÊ >ÀiÊ >VViÃȘ}Ê Ì iÊ
internet more through their mobile phones – which have become
more affordable and available. This comes with the challenges of
ensuring better standards in social media, but importantly, people
have enhanced access to media through these developments.
UÊ  >˜>ˆ>˜ÃÊ >ÛiÊLiVœ“iʓœÀiʓi`ˆ>‡œÀˆi˜Ìi`°Ê
UÊ / iÊ ˜iÜÊ Lœ>À`Ê œvÊ Ì iÊ  Ê >««i>ÀÃÊ ÌœÊ LiÊ LiÌÌiÀÊ Ì >˜Ê Ì iÊ «ÀiۈœÕÃÊ
board.
Negative developments
UÊ / iÀiʈÃÊiÝViÃÈÛiÊ«œˆÌˆV>Ê«œ>ÀˆÌÞʈ˜ÊÌ iʓi`ˆ>]Ê>˜`ÊܓiÊ«Àœ}À>““iÃÊ
report news in a sensational way and even promote sensationalism.
Stations that engage in the “proverbisation of news” are also on the
increase.
UÊ
ÕÀˆ˜}ÊÌ iÊ«iÀˆœ`Ê՘`iÀÊÀiۈiÜ]Ê-iV̈œ˜ÊÓänʜvÊÌ iÊ Àˆ“ˆ˜>Ê œ`iÊÜ>ÃÊ
used to arrest media practitioner Ken Koranchie for “contemptuous
comments”, said to have caused “fear and alarm”. The media need to
assess this issue, and question how this may be a “new judicial threat
to freedom of expression”.
UÊ / iÊ ÀˆÃiÊ œvÊ ºVœ˜`ՈÌÊ œÕÀ˜>ˆÃ“»Ê ˆÃÊ Vœ˜ViÀ˜ˆ˜}]Ê >˜`Ê ˆÌÊ >««i>ÀÃÊ Ì >ÌÊ
journalists are being used to fulfil political agendas
UÊ / iʓi`ˆ>ʈÃÊv>Vi`ÊÜˆÌ Ê ˆ} ʏiÛiÃʜvÊVœÀÀի̈œ˜]Ê>ÃÊÜiÊ>ÃÊV >i˜}iÃÊ
to its integrity. The media needs to “open our eyes” to this trend, and
to address it as a matter of urgency.
UÊ / iÊ Àœ>`V>Ã̈˜}Ê ˆÊ >ÃÊÃ̈Ê˜œÌÊLii˜Ê«>ÃÃi`]Ê>˜`ÊÌ iÀiÊ >ؽÌÊLii˜Ê
any change in terms of regulations of the state broadcaster. This leaves
the broadcasting sector in “free fall”, with limited regulation.
UÊ / iÊ,ˆ} ÌÊ̜ʘvœÀ“>̈œ˜Ê ˆÊ >ÃÊÃ̈Ê˜œÌÊLii˜Ê«>ÃÃi`]Ê`iëˆÌiÊÞi>ÀÃʜvÊ
advocacy, and work on this needs to be accelerated.

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER GHANA 2013

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