Journalists must re-examine role

The Ghana Journalists Association last Saturday held its 19th Awards Night on the theme, “Using development journalism to discern and defend the national interest”, at which 32 journalists were rewarded for their outstanding performance in the past year.

The awards were dominated by journalists from the Graphic Communications Group Ltd, seven of whom won awards in various categories. The topmost award of Journalist of the Year, went to Daily Graphic’s Court and Crime reporter, Mabel Aku Baneseh. 

No doubt, the journalists of the GCGL and the other award winners went home relishing their awards.

That journalism is a major tool in the quest of a nation to improve the living standards of its people is certainly an understatement. That is why all media practitioners ought to pat their backs for the role they have played so far in Ghana’s march towards progress. 

Journalism practice in the country has over the years gone through significant changes to a point where many see Ghana as a beacon of free press. This has won the country great acclaim both internally and externally. As the fourth estate of the realm, the media have served as the link between the government and the governed and many look up to them for direction in many situations.  

That is why we hear very clearly the advice by the Special Guest of Honour at the GJA Awards, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to media practitioners not to sacrifice truth, since doing so could lead to the destruction of people’s reputation and endanger society.

Journalists have a great role to play so while honouring our own, we should do some introspection to see how as media practitioners, we can purge ourselves of some of the concerns raised by Otumfuo last Saturday.

One issue that the Asante king spoke passionately about is that of corruption. We strongly believe that the media will be serving the public good if they are able to insulate themselves from pressures from persons who might want to use them to achieve their selfish interests.  A corrupt media cannot have a moral justification to call others to be accountable.

The advent of a plural media has resulted in many media houses being seen as appendages of political parties while the state media are always perceived as being in bed with the government of the day. It is time for us as media practitioners to see ourselves as professionals who will look at issues from a non-partisan perspective.

It is only when we do this that we will be able to contribute to the quest to use development journalism to discern and defend the national interest.