JOURNALIST SHOULD RESPECT PASTORS RIGHTS

If there is any group in Ghana whose right has been abused in the media by journalists based on their calling then it's the Ghanians clergy.

Pastors, Reverends, Bishops and Archbishops have nowadays become a source of news to some journalist based on their conduct as men of God making their messages preached to their congregations a hot cake for the broadcast media.

As for the 'healer matures' prophets, 'doctors', and, the overseers the humor they course in their attempt to preach in the English language and the diction in mentioning 'zelo' instead of zero prefixing their mobile phone numbers in announcement for customers has become a preferred Soundbites for radio presenters on all programmes. M

Admittedly some of those humors are indeed good for the entertainment aspect of the media as I sometimes burst into laughter even at the office on hearing them.

However I Think their messages which are supposed to be for their congregations and whoever is willing to hear them should not be the basis for some Ghanaian journalist to flock church auditoriums to exploit them in the name of interviews news source.

I think making pastors' message news may not be necessarily wrong especially if there is something is new and relevant to the public.

Nonetheless for journalists to interpret those message and adding opinion to them defeats definition of news and makes it unethical in the practice of journalism.

These new phenomenon in Ghanaian media where Journalist use voices of pastors preaching linking them to political statements is not correct as its influence on religious men is dire.

It may compel some with loud mouths yearning to gain popularity to deviate from their duties by prophesying more to attract media coverage even if there is no prophecy.

Similarly those who are microphone and cameras phobia may continues to seek Gods face without professing even if Peter himself reveals for him or her to prophesy after 30days fasting .

today because of media coverage it is not strange to hear pastors and Malam's professing on issues ranging from the results of football matches, outcome of court rulings, results of elections to when one would travelled abroad or a to the co lour of spouse one will marry to.

I think journalists who believe they do well by the interest audience have in hearing these odd stories must know that the influence on media in society makes it imperative on them by practice by not to stir the political conflicts they exploit the some pastors to create I therefore see it as a shortcoming on the part of journalists to air on the qualified privileges of a profession even if that piece of information was intercepted because of the repelling effect on the Christendom in the country.

Continuous linkage of the very topics, themes, messages, exhortations, and admonitions from men of God to political parties by journalist is a tacit sign of disrespects to the clergy's right to absolute privileges and must be review moderately.

It also has the potential to divided church congregations as members of the churches who those men of God supervise are made up of Ghanians belonging to a deferent political parties.

I think therefore that journalists will do us a favor if they allow church matters to be treated without a political connotation and colorization.

Those in print media either transcribe those messages to the masses or sent reporters to the pastors to get first hand information for onwards publication with the same purpose as the broadcasts.

I hope with a sharp reference to this controversial topic in every journalism class by practicing journalist the Christian clergy will be given a briefing space to preach and cite all examples without fear or favor from journalist who may link them to a political parties' ideologies.

These two terms are keen to protect people with certain king of protections for doctors, lawyers, police, lecturers and the journalists themselves. It is the delicate nature of the security nature these professions offer that makes it unethical to use what they have said to the public as their positions or believe.

That is the right a journalist enjoy as he or she at no circumstance reveals his or her source as police will not disclose his informant and doctor shouldn't tell the name of a HIV person to any other person.

In fact it is wrong for journalists to link a preaching of a pastor to a political party in a news story without contacting him for his view on those political parties.

it is likely pastors will be taken out of contest as it has been the case where Duncan William has to struggle with his media Tema to disentangle his prayer from political.

The question I ask myself is when pastors became source to our news men.

But finally I will urge colleague journalist to make news out of the import of messages in the news devoid of politics as its has potential to make some melancholic or intros never to speak or preach again and extra do otherwise and even propagate their political messages

current pastors who have either be offered journalist reason to use them as sources of their news a Duncan Williams whose prayers even generates a whole discus in the media, Agyen Asare, Osei Kwame just to mentions a few.

Let's respect the right of our pastors by allowing them to preach the true message of god to the masses as the end time difficulties are enormous for us to run to the banner of god

Opayin Okyere -Fianko
Railways and Ports
Tema.