Nonetheless, the President said he very much preferred this current state of the media to the one in times past.

President Akufo-Addo made these remarks in a speech delivered on the theme “Ghana, A Rising Star of Africa”, at an event organised by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, in Berlin, Germany.

President Akufo-Addo said of the current media: “it is a loud and crowded media that we now have, and some feel that many journalists err on the side of recklessness.”

He noted further that, there was a lot to be taught those who practice journalism in Ghana “but, I must say, I would much rather have the loud and reckless media than the meek and praise singing one that used to characterize our newspapers, radio and television.”

Ghana has come a long way since protests in 1995 over the seizure of equipment from a pioneering private station, Radio EYE, forced the government to issue many FM frequencies for other private stations.

There are now over 200 radio and television stations operating in Ghana, offering wide-ranging content in different dialects.

“We probably have one of the most vibrant media on the African continent, if not in the world. Like many of the other institutions of state, the media in Ghana came into its own in the Fourth Republic, where the national Constitution guarantees freedom of the media,” the President said.

On the matter of media training, President Akufo-Addo noted that “it’s one of the sectors in which the Konrad Adenauer Foundation has been active in Ghana, with funding for the continuous training of our journalists, and it is one of the many things for which we owe you the Foundation a debt of gratitude.”

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The National Media Commission (NMC) and the National Communication Authority (NCA) gave the warning at a joint press conference Thursday on media responsibility in the run-up to the 2016 polls.

The two communication regulatory bodies said they would not hesitate to sanction any media outlet who flouted laid down regulations or breached ethical codes governing media operations ahead of the elections.

“You have to ensure that your platforms are not used to incite violence and in all situations diligently and independently investigate all allegations and claims by interest groups before putting them out,” the NMC Chairman, Nana Kwesi Gyan-Appenteng, said.

He reminded frequency authorisation holders of their responsibility towards covering the 2016 presidential and parliamentary elections and the use of national recourses for public good.

“These obligations can be found under the terms of their broadcasting authorisations, the various guidelines of the NMC, the Code of Conduct of the Ghana Independent Broadcasters’ Association and the Code of Ethics of the Ghana Journalists Association,’’ he said.

The regulators also cautioned broadcasters against airing false news reports which have the tendency of escalating tension in the election period.

“We are aware of efforts by several institutions to foster an atmosphere of tolerance and peace,’’ Nana Gyan-Appenteng said.

The NMC and the NCA condemned acts of violence during elections because they threatened Ghana’s stability and diversity.

They also urged citizens to ensure judicious and responsible use of social media to promote peace.

Other stakeholders at the conference included Mr Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie, the Board Chairman of  the NCA, Mr William Tevie, the Director General of NCA and Mr George Sarpong, the Executive Secretary of NMC.

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Source: GNA

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