By Rebecca Ekpe
The question of who is a Journalist? seems to resurrect every now and then in the Ghanaian Media arena. This is because the issues of Freedom of Speech and Media seem to come up in the wake of a Pluralistic Media, New Media and Social Media for that matter.
Some Media Industry Players say they subscribe to the caveat, ”Professionalism” meaning Journalists, or Media persons must receive some form of training, be it formally or informally.
Or better still ”Self-Censorship is the way to go”.
”You cannot just go on air and start talking because you have the power of the tongue”, in the words of Media Law and Ethics Lecturer, Zakaria Tanko Musah.
He made the point on the #GTVBREAKFAST in an interview with Host, Thelma Tackie on Monday, December 6, 2021.
Zakaria Tanko Musah laid the responsibility of staff capacity building at the door step of employers, saying, ”training is important, employers should do the training”.
”The media in recent times have become so common that every individual engages in it, especially with the advent of social media. The only way to differentiate is the practice of Professional and Responsible Journalism”, Mr. Musah noted.
Clearly, real Journalists have no choice but to appreciate and know the difference between presenting their Opinions versus what is Factual.
Simply, the two cannot be mixed, ”Yes Opinions are okay in Journalism”, but, cannot clout the facts, the Law Lecturer pointed out.
”Journalists must know the difference between presenting their opinion and facts. Journalists must understand that though they have the freedom of speech, they must be aware that such freedom is not absolute but qualified”.
Mr. Musah disclosed that Journalists could be liable for their actions despite the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law. He gave examples.
”GJA Code of Ethics whose breaches are breaches of the law, Issues about promoting hatred, Breach of Peace, Disclosing the identities of victims of sexual assaults, among other issues”, according to the Media Law and Ethics Lecturer.
NMC Vs. NCA & Media Ownership
The question of Media Ownership came to the fore as various research done by the Media Foundation For West West Africa and the Ghana Journalists Association, among other Journalism Think Tanks point to the fact that the Ownership of Media by Politically Exposed Persons is impacting on the content of the media in Ghana.
Mr. Musah did not mince words. He advocated a relook at the Media-Ownership regime in Ghana and spoke against the scenario where some persons hide behind some Media Houses to protect and promote personal agendas, throwing Professionalism or Ethics to the dogs.
The National Mass Media Commission (NMC) is a Government of Ghana Agency mandated with the responsibility of registering, regulating and monitoring the activities of media houses in Ghana.
The National Communications Authority (NCA), was established by the National Communications Act of 1996 with the authority of issuing Spectrum for Broadcasting in Ghana.
Mr. Musah believes the NMC and the NCA need to work more intandem to promote ethics and Professionalism within the Ghanaian Media space.
He said the National Media Commission must however strengthen its investigative architecture.
”The NMC must investigate journalists who breach the law and not necessarily leave it to the Police to trivialize it as a criminal offence”, he posited.