State of Ghanaian Media Report: Journalists at Risk of Failing to Fulfill Their Professional Roles
The 2023 State of the Ghanaian Media Report has disclosed that journalists in the country are at risk of failing to perform their professional roles due to the inability to relate role concepts to performance. The report was launched recently in Accra, and it assesses the relationship between Ghanaian journalists’ roles and their actual performance. The study aims to identify mediating factors that promote or inhibit journalists’ ability to practice their craft. The report is based on research conducted by the Department of Communication Studies (DCS) at the University of Ghana (UG), and the Media Foundation for West Africa, with funding support from the College of Education, UG, and the American Embassy.
The report’s chapter on “Media Freedom and Professional Journalism Practices” sought to uncover the factors that mediate journalists’ ability to perform their craft based on their professional roles. It found that there was a general agreement among editors on the principles and norms of journalism. They understood their position in society and the various roles they were mandated to perform. They were positively disposed towards performing their professional roles and saw themselves as watchdogs of society as well as collaborators on the nation-building agenda.
The report noted that the past 30 years of democratic governance in Ghana had been crucial times for professional journalism practice. The re-democratisation in the early 1990s guaranteed constitutionally-guaranteed freedoms, including freedom of expression, media independence, and an expanded space for professional journalism development and practice. However, journalism in Ghana has been under constant scrutiny for unprofessional and irresponsible practices, and the role of journalists in a democracy questioned as a result.
The report identified a disconnect between role conception and performance among journalists. It attributed this to ownership factors, journalistic routines, gatekeeper influences, as well as advertiser influences. Ethical breaches such as one-sided reportage and failure to verify news were major challenges to professional practice. Although editors desired to change the poor image of journalism and improve professional standards, the report revealed that they were often unaware of regulatory documents such as the Ghana Journalists’ Association (GJA) Code of Ethics and the National Media Commission (NMC) Guidelines for local language broadcasting, as well as the Broadcasting Standards.
All in all, the State of the Ghanaian Media Report raises important issues about the state of journalism in the country. It highlights the need for journalists to take their roles seriously and uphold professional standards. It also underscores the importance of regulatory bodies in ensuring that the media operates within ethical boundaries.