Accra, Ghana//-Veteran Ghanaian journalist, Nana Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng has urged media practitioners in Ghana and beyond to take advantage of the advancement of technology to enhance their reports.
According to him, with the aid of technological tools, journalists are capable of sitting at the comfort of their homes and offices to access information from multiple sources to enrich their reportage.
Nana Gyan-Apenteng made the call at the maiden virtual edition of the MTN Bright Media Conversations to mark the 70th anniversary of his birth.
The event also afforded him the opportunity to reflect on his 60 years of journalism experience ranging from reporter, editor, trainer, author, media regulator to media consultant.
Nana Gyan-Apenteng who is also the Immediate Past Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC) noted that the quantity of the Ghanaian media had been resolved following the liberalization of the media space.
“Some media houses in the country are doing fairly well. But many are performing below the par”, he said.
Nana Gyan-Apenteng expressed reservations over the influence of media owners which compel journalists to champion their agenda against political opponents.
“The difference between the time we practiced journalism and now is equal to day and night because we had to fight the government’s monopoly. Now a whole chapter of the 1992 Constitution has been dedicated to media freedom hitherto was not in our era”.
“Media owners everywhere are powerful. I was sacked without a letter for at least three times in my career as a media practitioner”, he stated.
Nana Gyan-Apenteng used the occasion to call on young journalists to take up voluntary jobs in order to gain the required skills to enable them build their journalism careers.
“In the past, we had dedicated journalists despite attacks on media freedom. Because of the professionalism we displayed in those turbulent years, we were able to sail through”.
He did not mince words on the current practice of journalists using their phones to record instead of jotting down notes.
In his words: “These days I see many journalists drop their phone simply recording without taking note. It’s a bad habit. I have been a columnist for over forty years”.
“But, I must say that fake news is not caused by social media but it occurs when people have to deceive to gain an advantage in any form. Whatever people do is first social before the media”.
Nana Gyan-Apenteng who is also the Immediate Past President of Pan African Writers of Association (PAWA), called for the establishment of thresholds for media content that must be aired during daytime and late hours.
This he explained would help stop the spread of inappropriate electronic media content which are inimical to children.
Responding to the gruesome murder of a 10-year-old boy by two teenagers at Kasoa for get-rich-quick money rituals, Nana Gyan-Apenteng said the NMC is ill-resourced to monitor all television and radio stations in the country.
To this end, he called for an emergency national gathering of professional groups including GJA, NAGRAT and others to dialogue on media content and media regulations in the country.
“This Kasoa murder of a 10-year-old by two teenagers should put the spotlight on the media regulation. We have to do things by law. There is no broadcasting law in this country. Let’s harmonise rules and regulations governing the media space”.
“The NMC has 18 members including part-time members, and sometimes resources to operate are simply not available”.
The Board Chairman of Graphic Communications Group Limited Professor Kwame Karikari who chaired the function called on the media owners and practitioners to focus on content that shape society.
He reminded that the first duty of a journalist is to the public and citizenry whilst keeping the government on its toes.
In his welcome address, the Corporate Service Executive of MTN Ghana, Samuel Korateng, said the event aimed at celebrating Nana Gyan-Apenteng who clocked 70 years in March 2021.
“We put this programme together to celebrate Nana Gyan-Apenteng for reaching 70th milestone. It also affords him the opportunity to share his experience with MTN and the rest of the country.
The event was also used to launch the Bright Media Conversation series to hold talks with prominent Ghanaians as SCANCOM Ltd, the parent company of MTN Ghana celebrates its 25th anniversary in the country.
African Eye Report
