A journalist cannot remain neutral when calling out the powerful over wrongdoing — Kwaku Krobea Asante

Kwaku Krobea Asante, a fact-checker and Senior Programme Officer at the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), has emphasized that neutrality is not an option for journalists when calling out the powerful for their wrongdoings.

Speaking at the launch of the Private Newspaper and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG) Code of Ethics in Accra on Thursday, October 17, Krobea Asante highlighted the critical role journalists play in ensuring accountability.

“Journalists do not operate in a vacuum; they work within a society supervised by power structures that must be held accountable. A journalist cannot remain neutral when calling out the powerful when they do wrong,” Asante remarked.

He underscored that while objectivity remains essential, particularly in the presentation of facts, neutrality is not always tenable in instances of injustice or abuse of power.

He further urged journalists to adhere to their ethical principles to protect themselves against external pressures.

“For journalists, your ethics are your shield and guard. How you approach a story will save you,” he advised, stressing the importance of ethical conduct in navigating the complexities of modern journalism.

The PRINPAG Code of Ethics, launched during the event, provides guidelines for ethical journalism, offering a framework to address some of the ethical dilemmas faced by media professionals today.

The code aims to fortify the standards of journalism in Ghana, especially in an era marked by the proliferation of misinformation and increasing scrutiny of the media's role.