'Exhibit High Ethics In World Cup Reportage'

Ghanaian sports reporters have been urged to contribute to a violent-free and peaceful South Africa 2010 by exhibiting high journalistic ethics in their reportage.

At a media development forum aimed at ensuring good media coverage during South Africa World Cup 2010 in Accra, organised by the Ghana Media Standards Improvement Project (GMSIP), the Co-ordinator of GMSIP Ms Ajoa Yeboah-Afari said whilst entertaining their listeners, viewers and readers, sports reporters should make it a priority to put the ethics of the profession first by upholding the professional standards.

She said it was essential for them to be well versed in their area of sport and the art of commentary to efficiently live up to the expectation.

Topics discussed at the forum were the “Art of Commentary, the Rules of the Football Game and the Possible Challenges of Reporting on the World Cup”.

The President of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana, Mr Ackah Anthony, advised the reporters to equip themselves with information on the rules of the game, as well as research on the teams so that they could do authoritative commentary and not rely on mediocre reporting.

He added that Ghanaian sports reporters owed it to their country to rise to the challenge by the quality of their reporting during the tournament since the whole world would be watching.

A panel of football commentators and sports reporters consisting of seasoned commentator Mr Joe Lartey, Dan Kwaku Yeboah of Peace FM, Mr Ernest Koranteng of Joy FM, Mr George Lartey of GBC FM and Mr Poporo Boateng of Adom FM took participants through the Art of English and Twi football commentary and advised them to be accurate, truthful, balanced and fair as well as impartial, in their reportage.

They also urged them to be impartial, avoid commenting on players’ private lives, avoid over sensationalism and, above all, obey the laws of the game.

Mr Joe Lartey urged the sports commentators to have a good command of the English Language so as to effectively convey the appropriate messages to their audience.