TV3 Staff Urged To Pin Down Election Tension With Fair & Accurate Reportage

Staff of TV3 and its affiliates have been taken through yet another capacity building program in preparation towards the 2016 elections.

The event which forms part of management’s decision to build a formidable team of broadcast journalists, reporters, producers and editors seeks to calm electoral tension in the upcoming general elections by providing a fair, accurate and balanced reportage.

Professor Kwame Karikari, Founder of the Media Foundation for West Africa, Nana Kwabena Nketsia V, Chief of the Essikado Traditional Area, Honourable Kojo Yankah, President and Founder of African University College of Communication (AUCC) and Board Chairman of TV3.

The founder for Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) Prof. Kwame Kakari urged the journalists to be circumspect in their reportage and cautioned against negative content which attacks personality and institutions.

Prof. Karikari noted that distilling the facts and reliable ideas, exposing falsehood and giving an accurate reportage has been the bane for most journalists.

He however indicated that the media is mandated to uphold its tenets of informing, educating and entertaining the public adding that “you must accurately inform your audience.”

According to him, the media must protect the rights and dignity of persons irrespective of their public status adding that “this does not mean that if they flout the law or do something untoward, you should shield them.”

Prof. Kojo Yankah, the Board Chairman of TV3 urged all to always prepare by constantly researching and cross checking facts before going on air.

He emphasized that facts, designations, names, titles should be clearly known and put out during all presentation, stories should be straight to the point and detailed, on air and off air posturing is very vital and must always be professional especially on the part of presenters.

Prof. Yankah added that the election period is always tensed with uncertainties and therefore asked journalists to develop lighter stories to help diffuse the tense uptight nature of the period.

He urged that presenters and by extension all persons working in any media house should be cautious of their image and guard it jealously.

“Be responsible for your image, the image of the media house and the group as a whole,” he posited.

Nana Kobina Nketsia V, a renowned chief urged journalists to think Ghana first and ensure that their stories inform and educate people rather than divisive stories which have the potential of causing fear and panic, and unnecessary tension.

He said “the media is a conscious industry and we must be aware of what goes in and out. The media controls the mind of the people, use it wisely.”

This is the third in the series of trainings the Media General group consisting of TV3, 3Fm, Onua FM, Akoma Fm, Connect Fm and the online portal 3news.com has mentally prepared its staff to become more professional in their reportage.