MFWA’S REPORT ON MONITORING ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN LANGUAGE: NPP REMAINS THE MOST ABUSIVE ON RADIO

Affiliates/ supporters of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) have once again been found to be the most abusive on radio during the monitoring of electoral campaign language by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) over the period, October 7 – 13, 2012. For eight (8) consecutive weeks (August 19 – October 13), individuals belonging to the NPP have been at the forefront in the use of indecent remarks on radio. This is unacceptable and it is unfortunate that the leadership of the NPP does not seem to be making efforts to reverse this unhealthy phenomenon in our political discourse.

During the monitoring period (October 7 – 13, 2012), a total of 17 indecent expressions were recorded. Affiliates of the NPP made 13 (76.5%) of them. Four individuals made more than one indecent remark and they are all affiliates of the NPP.

The only newspaper editor who has been cited severally for using indecent expressions on radio, Mr. Ken Kuranchie, the Managing Editor of the Daily Searchlight newspaper who is also an NPP sympathiser, was once again found to have used an indecorous expression.

Kumasi-based Angel FM was the radio station on which a lot of the indecent remarks were made. Ten (10) out of the 17 indecent expressions were made on Angel FM.

Monitoring campaign language-use on radio is a project by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) with funding from STAR-Ghana. The project is aimed at contributing to ensuring issues-based and decent language campaigning in theDecember polls. It involves daily monitoring of language/ expressions by politicians and activists on specific programmes on 31 selected radio stations across the country.

General Findings on Expressions Used
A total of 132 reports were received on programmes monitored on 30 out of the 31 radio stations being monitored under the project. Altogether, 17 indecent remarks were recorded on seven (7) political discussion programmes aired on six (6) radio stations.The 17 indecent expressions were made up of the following categories of expressions:

· Insulting/Offensive Comments: 10
· Unsubstantiated Allegations: 5
· Innuendoes: 2
Expressions Used and Political Party Affiliation

The 17 indecent expressions were made by affiliates of the two main political parties in the country; the NPP and the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC). Thirteen (13) of the 17 inappropriate remarks were made by affiliates of the NPP. The remaining four (4) indecorous expressions were made by affiliates of the NDC. Table 1 below details the indecent expressions made by affiliates of the two political parties.

Table 1: Expressions Used by Political party Affiliation

Expressions Used	Political Party Affiliation
	NPP	NDC	Total
Insulting/Offensive Comments	7	3	10
Unsubstantiated Allegations	5	0	5
Innuendoes	1	1	2
Total	13	4	17

Four (4) individuals, all belonging to the NPP, were found to have used more than one indecent expression:

· Mr. David Osei of the NPP: 3
· Mr. Kennedy Agyapong, NPP MP for Assin North: 2
· Mr. Gideon Boako, Ashanti Regional Youth Organizer of the NPP: 2

· Gizo, an NPP supporter: 2
Expressions Used and Gender
For the week under review, no gender-specific indecent expression was captured. All the 17 indecent expressions recorded were made by males.

Perpetrators of indecent language campaigning

Below are the names of the individuals who made the 17 indecent expressions, the radio stations, and the dates on which they were made:

Offensive/insulting remarks
1. Mr.Kobby Onassis of the NDC – during Kessben FM's Maakye programme of October 8, 2012

2. Hon. KwakuBalado Manu, NPP MP for AhafoAno South – during Royals FM's Adekyea Mu Nsemprogramme of October 8, 2012

3. Mr. Kennedy Agyapong, NPP MP for Assin North – during Oman FM's Boiling Pointprogramme of October 9, 2012

4. Mr. Francis Dodovi, an NDC activist and a spokesperson of the Ashanti Regional Minister– during Angel FM's Platform programme of October 10, 2012

5. Gizo, an NPP supporter –during Angel FM's Platform programme of October 8, 2012

6. Gizo, an NPP supporter –during Angel FM's Platform programme of October 10, 2012

7. Mr. Gideon Boako, Ashanti Regional Youth Organizer of the NPP– during Angel FM's Platform programme of October 8, 2012

 
8. Mr. David Osei of the NPP – made 2 during Angel FM's Platform programme of October 8, 2012

9. Mr.KwekuBoahen of the NDC – during Angel FM's Platform programme of October 8, 2012

Unsubstantiated allegations
1. Mr. Mohammed Sahwil of the NPP – during NorthStar FM's Hot Issues programme of October 8, 2012

2. Mr. Kennedy Agyapong, NPP MP for Assin North – during Oman FM's Boiling Point programme of October 9, 2012 

3. Mr. Gideon Boako,Ashanti Regional Youth Organizer of the NPP– during Angel FM's Platform programme of October 8, 2012

4. Mr. David Osei of the NPP – during Angel FM's Platform programme of October 8, 2012

5. Mr. Ken Kuranchie, the Managing Editor of the Daily Searchlight newspaper who is also an NPP sympathiser – during Oman FM's National Agendaprogramme of October 8, 2012

Innuendoes
1. Mr. Richard Nyamah, a member of the Young Patriots of the NPP– during Hot FM'sMaakyeprogramme of October 8, 2012

2. Mr.FuseiniDonkor, a member of the NDC communication team in the Ashanti Region– during Angel FM's Platform programme of October 8, 2012

Note: As a policy, the MFWA has decided not to publish the indecent expressions people make since it will amount to rebroadcasting of those remarks. The MFWA has been urging radio stations to desist from the replay of indecent expressions on their networks since they tend to amplify such expressions and their potentially negative ramifications. Thus, the rebroadcasting of the specific indecent expressions recorded in this monitoring exercise will amount to the same inappropriate action. The specific expressions used by persons cited in our reports are, however, available at the MFWA.

Expressions Used and Radio Station
Six (6) radio stations were the platforms used in airing the 17 indecent remarks. As many as 10 of the 17 indecent expressions were made on Angel FM.Table 2 below presents details of the indecent expressions recorded on each of the six radio stations:

Table 2: Radio Stations by Expressions Used

Radio Station	Expressions Used
	Insulting/Offensive Comments	Unsubstantiated Allegations	Innuendoes	Total
Angel FM	7	2	1	10
Oman FM	1	2	0	3
Hot FM	0	0	1	1
Kessben FM	1	0	0	1
North Star FM	0	1	0	1
Royals FM	1	0	0	1
Total	10	5	2	17

Conclusion

The records of indecent expressions by affiliates of the NPP over the past eight (8) weeks is alarming and highly undesirable in our political discourse, especially as the country goes to the polls in less than two (2) months.

The MFWA is once again urgingGhanaian electorates to seriously consider making their voting decisions based on the substance of the issues raised by the various political parties and candidates, and reject parties and candidates who focus on insults, personality attacks and other comments that do not augur well for the peace of the country.

The MFWA is also calling on the management, editorial board and programme producers of Angel FM to address the increasing incidence of indecent expressions on the radio station. The National Media Commission (NMC) and the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) are also being urged to complement efforts being made to have a more professional media that contribute positively to the peace and democratisation processes of the country.

Issued by MFWA in Accra on October 18, 2012

The MFWA is a regional independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization based in Accra. It was founded in 1997 to defend and promote the rights and freedom of the media and all forms of expression.