SECTOR 2

2.2
Citizens’ access to domestic and international
media sources is not restricted by state authorities.
There is no restriction on citizens’ access to domestic and international media
sources by state authorities.

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:

5.0 (2008: 4.8; 2006: 5.0)

2.3
Efforts are undertaken to increase the scope
of circulation of the print media, particularly to rural
communities.
Increasing print media circulation in general poses a big challenge because
newspapers are too expensive for most people and a quarter of all Ghanaians are
illiterate.
One particular problem is the fact that many radio stations use the papers for
their press review programmes where presenters simply read out articles in full –
thus making it unnecessary for listeners to buy copies. Some radio stations in the
capital Accra photocopy newspapers and send these to affiliated radio stations in
other parts of the country. Print media news are often translated into different
local languages spoken by the listeners within their broadcasting radius. These
stories are sometimes so embellished, exaggerated and distorted that the real news
content is lost in translation.

24

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER GHANA 2011

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