The British High Commissioner to Ghana, Jon Benjamin has stated that it is hypocritical for journalists to report issues of corruption when they expect payment before reporting an event.<\/p>\n
He remarked that although the Ghanaian media is impressively improving, the insistent of most journalists to be given monetary payments popularly known as \u2018soli\u2019 is undermining their credibility and integrity.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026what are we to think when certain journalists expect the famous \u2018soli\u2019 to cover our events? …and if those journalists who pride themselves on reporting corruption in others then ask for unofficial payments, isn\u2019t that hypocritical?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”yN92EOUtk7iDWlPwHoKH0w6ek1o9Smca”]Speaking at the 10th Anniversary celebration of IMANI Ghana on Thursday, Jon Benjamin commended the media saying, \u201cI read, listen to and watch the Ghanaian media everyday and I have an impressive and an improving record in, and commitment to uncovering alleged wrong doing for which I congratulate them.\u201d<\/p>\n
He questioned the rationale behind the insistence of most journalists to be paid \u2018soli\u2019 by event organizers for doing their job.<\/p>\n
\u201cIsn\u2019t covering the news actually their job to start with? And if they are paid sufficiently for doing so, isn\u2019t that an issue between them and their employer rather than our or anyone else\u2019 problem?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
The UK High Commissioner pointed out that an event or a story is either intrinsically newsworthy or it isn\u2019t therefore, \u201cit doesn\u2019t become news worthy because someone is paid for it. That isn\u2019t journalism; it\u2019s advertizing.\u201d<\/p>\n
He however served notice that the Commission will not succumb to the common practice of paying media men to cover their event.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow you know officially that you will never receive any \u2018soli\u2019 from the British High Commission,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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By: Efua Idan Osam\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
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