Accra, Ghana, March 5, 2019//-The role of the media in national development has never been in doubt, no wonder it is referred to as the fourth arm.
The media are responsible for information dissemination, education and entertainment. In view of this, the media are said to be the fourth estate of the realm or the fourth arm of government because the media help to put politicians and all powerful institutions in check in Ghana.
However, lately, what has incurred the indignation of the public has to do with the overindulgence of some of the media practitioners in showing their soft spot for a particular political party.
All over the world, successful democracies can boast of the presence of a very strong and independent media. These countries have a very liberal media landscape unlike Ghana.
Until recently, most African countries that have today adopted multi-party democracy were gagging the press all in the name of national development.
Post-independent Africa was full of governments that resisted free press and freedom of expression and, therefore, put in place legislation that required the licensing of all media of communication, such as radio, TV and newspapers to ensure they work within the remit.
There was a period not too long ago when the state was the only legitimate body that operated the media of mass communication in Ghana. Some private individuals who operated newspapers were regularly harassed in the late 1980s and 1990s.
There was a period when people in the country had to tune in to the foreign media for information on their country and government, especially information that was critical of the leaders.
It was this history that guided the framers of the various constitutions to create the framework for a free and independent media.
The 1992 Fourth Republican Constitution guarantees the freedom and independence of the media and also prohibits the censorship of the media.
A few decades ago, when the government was responsible for appointing the governing boards of the state-owned media and editors, there was no security of tenure for such officials, people lost their jobs simply because they were engaged by another government and could not be trusted.
No wonder many editors became praise singers and dictated to a particular political leadership in order to cling to their positions.
Fortunately, the Constitution shielded the media from government interference and helped to embolden the media to be critical of the actions of all public office holders.
However, there are concerns being expressed over the excesses of certain media practitioners who have decided not to respect the code of ethics of the journalism profession.
It is cleared that some media practitioners are in bed with politicians and they are using their platforms to attack people.
Sometimes we wonder whether we are in the era of dictatorship of the media, with journalists talking and writing about people without regard for the norms of the profession.
Our airwaves and newspapers are dominated by voices of the political class who always look at issues with political lenses, thereby relegating national concerns to the background.
There are many challenges confronting the country that demand immediate answers but because of the extreme partisanship in society, including the media landscape, we are still wandering to seek solutions to the enormous problems in the areas of health, education and the economy.
Certainly, we need a very strong media that can be circumspect on issues that can give us the voice to tell our leaders to do what will make life comfortable for all of us, not a partisan media, social commentators and political actors.
The media are a potent force for national development, but they can be destructive if the people in charge decide to use them to divide the ranks of the people, especially along partisan lines.
The media are a powerful tool for construction and destruction of a nation, promoting knowledge and enlightenment in society, for which reason we should not give room to those who want to use them for negative activities.
It is therefore our humble appeal that all media practitioners and the people should support the media to become the key driver of the free exchange of ideas, a bastion against dictatorship and corruption in society.
By Maame Agyeiwaa Agyei, Independent
