Press Freedom In Danger - Kabral
The Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), has cautioned that the irresponsibility and total disregard for ethics by the media in Ghana can roll back the freedoms they enjoy under the 1992 Constitution.
Mr Kabral Blay-Amihere observed that some editors, radio talk-show hosts and presenters were abandoning their gate-keeping role and allowing hate speech, insults, pornography and all kinds of stuff to assume respectability when they should be frowned upon.
“I have had the occasion to advise and admonish journalists that their refusal to respect their code of ethics and the display of a false sense of security and power under the Constitution will force the same society that granted them freedom to roll back these media freedoms,” he said.
Reflecting on the performance of the media over the past year at a forum in Accra, to commemorate the first anniversary of the sixth Commission of the NMC, Mr Blay-Amihere said extreme politicisation and polarisation of the media, whereby the principles of objectivity, fairness and truth “are thrown to the dogs and bulls”, posed a serious threat to press freedom.
“There are several publications across the political divide which are, at best, propaganda sheets and not newspapers,” he noted.
Mr Blay-Amihere said some journalists and members of the public had recommended to the Constitutional Review Commission that more restrictive measures should be imposed on irresponsible journalism, with the NMC being given powers to ban and close down newspapers and radio stations.
“And when that day comes, let journalists, media owners, serial callers and others realise that they brought the wrath of society upon themselves,” he said.
Another threat to media freedom flagged by the NMC Chairman was the posture of some state institutions in terms of the total disregard for the government’s pledge not to muzzle the media nor to intimidate journalists.
He said although the NMC respected the rights and powers of state institutions to discharge their duties, “that power should not constitute any impediment or intimidation of the media nor create fear and panic among the media”.
Recently, the NMC directed the Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) to proceed on leave until further notice, and the Board Chairman to also step aside in the interim to allow the Commission to investigate some concerns at the state-owned broadcaster.
While deploring the unprofessional reportage subsequently given to the issue by some sections of the media, Mr Blay-Amihere assured the public that “the NMC will follow due process, with absolute respect for the principle of fairness and objectivity to resolve the issue without fear or favour”.
He said the NMC had been constrained in the discharge of its constitutional mandate, particularly the monitoring of the media across the country, by the lack of funds, inadequate staff and lack of office accommodation in the regions.
Mr Blay-Amihere said in spite of all the challenges, the vision of the NMC was to leave a legacy of making the Commission a credible and independent body that would ensure the freedom and independence of the media, as well as a high sense of social responsibility and media accountability.
Addressing the topic: “A conducive legal framework for media practice in Ghana”, a member of the NMC, Dr Audrey Gadzekpo, gave an overview of the Freedom of Information, Broadcasting and Defamation bills which are currently at various stages of legislation.
While stressing the need to review some fundamental provisions in the three bills, she said it was taking far too long to pass the Right to Information Bill into law.
“Twenty years after the coming into effect of the Constitution, there can be no justification for further delay in passing into law the Right to Information Bill which has currently gone through the first reading in Parliament,” she said.