Feature Article of Sunday, 16 March 2014

Columnist: Braimah, Sulemana

Media Freedom Vs Responsibility in Ghana: The complexities and way forward

By Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director, MFWA

In the last decade, Ghana has been among the countries with the best media freedom conditions in the world. Criminal libel has been repealed and no journalists are being thrown to jail. There are no barriers to becoming a journalist. The number of media outlets keeps multiplying; official and self-censorship are not evident. Indeed, Ghana has been scoring very high on all indicators of media freedom.

Undoubtedly, the benefits of Ghanas media freedom environment have been enormous. Through the media, citizens voices on national are amplified, even if they sometimes sound cacophonous. Corruption and many other ills of in the Ghanaian society have been exposed, even though duty bearers have often failed to deal with perpetrators of such acts. Rights violations are reported and duty bearers have often been pressured by the media to act.

The forgoing eulogies of Ghanas media freedom environment and how the media have utilised the freedom to contribute to national development is not in any way meant to suggest that the media have been perfect. Within the past few years, the media have come under intense public condemnation for what can be described as an alarming rate of flagrant professional infractions.

Many media outlets have become platforms for the exchange of highly explosive insults usually in the name of NPP/NDC politics. Brazen sensationalism and outright lies are common in the media. Political discussions on radio continue to feature divisive political and ethnocentric commentaries. And in fact, some media outlets have become tools for political manipulation.

The results have been waning trust and credibility for the media; dwindling public support for media freedoms and decreasing influence of the media in national affairs. These are not positive developments for media freedom. In fact, they are as dangerous to media freedom as criminal libel, state-orchestrated oppression or prohibitive damages awarded by Courts against the media. If allowed to persist, adversaries of media freedom will use them as grounds for legitimising any real or potential acts of media repression.

Well, there may be excesses and recklessness on the part of some or even many journalists, but what is certain is that not all journalists are reckless. It is true that some journalists resort to sensationalism and dangerous rumour mongering, but there are many others who are committed to professionalism.

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Media Freedom Vs Responsibility in Ghana