Dangme Newspaper: The Voice Of The Dangme Community

After my extensive research on the challenges and finding solutions to the dangme developmental problems, I realized that the dangme land itself also needs a mouth piece; we have Radio Ada, Obunu FM and TV running by the National Television. Radio Ada was started by a concerned dangme, I was told at the National Media Commission by Paula, a very nice woman I met there to discuss the way forward with registering of the newspaper.

By the grace of God, the newspaper was registered as “Dangme News” aim to champion the voice of the dangme community. A New era of Change in the Dangme Community is about to happen front next year as part of my effort to help the development of our dear land and I expect every concerned dangme to do something to help our dear land.

We celebrate people like Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Nelson Mandela et al, because of what they have done for their country so you must also do something for your dear land. Too much talking will not solve any issue, we need action. The paper will have Godfred Boakye -Gyan as the editor, a seasoned journalist with Diploma in Journalism from GIJ .

He was the Tema correspondent for TV 3 Network and now with the Briefing Newspaper. The Dangme news will cover areas such as local and international news, sports, entertainment, lifestyle, health page, special feature and columns will be made available to seasoned columnist including myself, will be writing my mensworld in the paper and a hot one call “Say it as it is IN THE DANGME “

The paper is community based newspaper and what exactly is a community newspaper? According to Wikipedia, Community paper is a term used by publishers, advertisers and readers to describe a range of publications that share a common service to their local community and commerce.

Their predominant medium being newsprint, often free and published at regular weekly or monthly intervals, Community Papers are distinguished by their demonstrable levels of local engagement, rather than by the scope of their content.

While Merriam-Webster and other dictionaries have yet to define Community Paper, the term has long been incorporated into the actual name of six states, five regional and one national trade association of hometown publishers of passing events, both general and commercial. While the diverse composition of their membership may cast a wide tent over the term, all Community Papers have a Nameplate, bear a Masthead, are fixed in print and dated by edition, are published at regular intervals, and are archived internally at a minimum.

Whether a specific Community Paper might more resemble a Shopper or a Newspaper, all such local papers fit the dictionary definition of Publication and Periodical, and are clearly distinguished from Flyers, Handbills and Circulars which are printed, usually at sporadic intervals, and serve a limited, often singular commercial interest.

Anyone can start a local newspaper to serve his or her area with reliable and timely information. I know because I did it myself with my local incoming Dangme News. In a rural area only nominally served by the nearest daily newspaper.

I'm convinced that anyone can start and operate a newspaper. Well, maybe not just anyone. So let me say anyone who wants to contribute meaningfully to their community and local area, can do so, with a local newspaper. I'm not saying it's going to be easy. I'm saying it can be done. And it's being done. All over the country.

Of course, if you listen to the talk, real, printed newspapers are just about a thing of the past. Right along with economic security, good local schools, and honest politicians. But what's being said in public may have less to do with the facts than is commonly reported. It's a fact that many newspapers and magazines are history. But print media is far from becoming a thing of the past.

Every community needs its own public voice that is why I have come out with the Dangme News. How else can neighbors communicate with neighbors? How else can your local school show off its top students, star players, and talk meaningfully about local programs, successes and needs?

But how does one go about starting a real newspaper? And how does it pay for itself? Is it reasonable to even hope that such an enterprise might pay the person running it enough to live on? Especially in these days of economic ups and downs in the country?

Intolerant people are in control of the government, the media, and...

Now the News: "Intolerant people are in control...

As stated above, many large newspapers are failing. Many have become only an Internet presence. Many others have already gone completely out of business. The question to ask is, why? When you know the answer to that question, you'll be better prepared to know if you should start one.

Why do (real, printed) newspapers fail? What makes a real newspaper work? What does it provide that readers want and need? What does a newspaper offer businesses, the community, the region? The answers to these and related questions tell you what you must do in order to operate a successful newspaper.

So being a columnist for some major newspapers in the country I have study the terrain very well and based on my research on the dangme land, I realized that the people wants some facts.

Factor Number One: The Public Wants Information and a Voice.

Factor Number Two: Communities Must Promote Projects and Programs.

Factor Number Three: Agencies Serving the Public Must Communicate.

Factor Number Four: Businesses Must Advertise.

As you can see from the above list, external factors may contribute to your success. Political (locally or nationally) bias in existing media is one of those factors. Intelligent citizens soon weary of any "news" source that only represents one side of things. This is true of broadcast and printed news sources.

Many newspapers have lost readership because the population has no desire to be spoon-fed a biased version of the facts. When the local population is only partially represented by the nearest newspaper, you may already have a readership (and local businesses advertisers) ready for a publication that will actually serve the people. Our readership predominantly will be the Ga-dangme community and will be circulated to the entire Ga-dangme prefecture.

Another factor is the absence of real coverage. Is your school, church, community, local association being given adequate space in the news? Are your local students, community needs, human accomplishments being talked about in the news? In short, does your community, your local area have a voice?

And what about advertising? Are your local businesses having to pay huge prices to a paper that reaches far beyond the local market area? It may be easy for very large corporations to buy enough print advertising to reach the whole region, maybe even an entire state, but small businesses that just want to bring in local customers can't compete on that level.

They need local options, and a local newspaper is one very good option for small business advertisers. Dangme News is the Voice for the Dangme Community so stay tune for next year February for the first edition to be launch. Thank you

Call us for all your news, advertisements, articles etc on 0500106570/0541090045.

Dr. Raphael Nyarkotey Obu:ND,MSc, PhD candidate is a catalyst for change in the dangme land. He believes that the dangme man is capable of becoming a national asset. He is the managing Director of Dangme News-The Voice of the Dangme Community.