Your Ghana, My Ghana: ‘Truth over Speed’ in a digital age

In today’s digital landscape, we’re all journalists and storytellers.

Social media are transforming news spaces, giving voice to anyone with a following on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter) or LinkedIn.

As voters globally become increasingly disenchanted with politics that deliver little positive change, more people are turning to the Internet to share their own experiences and perspectives.

The Internet has flattened hierarchies, allowing everyone to be their own editor, publisher and to some extent gatekeeper. But this raises new questions about how truth should be served.

First with the most

At journalism school in Legon during the pre-digital, PAV Ansah-led era, we were taught that every news outlet vies to be “firstest with the mostest”.  

In the Ethics module, however, we were taught that no matter the race to deliver the most news first, the ethics of the profession demand that journalists should respect truth and go about their news gathering in a respectful, transparent and fair manner.

Veteran journalist Nana Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng’s new book, Truth over Speed: Journalism Manual for the Digital Age, explores the tension between delivering news fast and delivering it truthfully, fairly and accurately.

Clicks and shares

Speaking to the Daily Graphic’s “Your Ghana, My Ghana”, Gyan-Apenteng stressed the need to prioritise truth. “In this era where speed often takes precedence over accuracy, where clicks and shares are coveted over credibility, and where misinformation can spread like wildfire, we have to remind ourselves of the importance of prioritising truth,” the author said.

Gyan-Apenteng is a former chairman of the National Media Commission, president of the African Communication Regulators Network and former president of the Ghana Association of Writers.

The launch of Truth over Speed on June 27 attracted an impressive array of media personalities, traditional leaders and civil society leaders interested in media development in Ghana.  

Among them, journalist turned diplomat and former chairman of the National Media Commission, Ambassador Kabral Blay-Amihere, commended the book for its timely intervention. 

Digital land mines

According to Blay-Amihere: “The digital age has become a land mine. Everybody with a camera is a journalist. Whether you like it or not, you cannot license journalists. So even those who are trained have to be conscious of the pitfalls.”

When Your Ghana, My Ghana asked Ambassador Blay-Amihere why office-holders in Africa tend to fear or mistrust journalists, the former ambassador to Sierra Leone and Côte d’Ivoire explained his position thus:

“Ever since I left journalism in 2001, I tread carefully in my interactions with media knowing that we now belong to different worlds and that not every journalist you meet is trained to respect the ethics of the profession.”

The former ambassador continued: “So even as one with a background in journalism, once you leave that world and move into a different realm as I’ve done, you are subject for ‘man bites dog’ situations.”

‘Man bites dog’ is the classic journalism school example of what makes a good news story. Whereas “Dog bites man” is too commonplace a story for any newspaper to report, “Man bites dog” would be major headline news.

With this example, Ambassador Blay-Amihere, who is the current Chairman of electricity transmission company GRIDCo, was explaining how easily the roles can be reversed when a former journalist finds him or herself the subject of news.

Call to action

According to Nana Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng, “Truth Over Speed is not just a book but a call to action. It reminds us that the pursuit of truth is a fundamental principle of journalism and that we must not compromise on our values in the face of pressure or adversity,” the veteran journalist said.

“The book is also about the responsibility that comes with freedom of speech. It is about how our words and actions can impact individuals, communities, and society as a whole,” Gyan-Apenteng said.

Throughout the sections on newsgathering, writing, interviewing, fact-checking, finding the compelling story, reporting on specialised topics and navigating media law, Gyan-Apenteng’s manual stresses the importance of ethical, informed and balanced reporting that respects cultural and gender sensitivities. 

Verifying information

One of the temptations of this digital age, even for seasoned journalists, is the urge to forward the eyebrow-raising posts that land in your WhatsApp group chats without first verifying the information and with little way of knowing whether the post originates from a credible source.

Here, internet users can learn from the ethics of journalism while trained journalists can learn to apply the same rigorous and ethical standards on social media as they apply in their formal news gathering and reporting activities. 

Digital content

A key contribution of the book thus comes in the section, “Prepping for YouTube and Social Media Blogs”, where the author emphasises the role that journalists can play in producing high-quality and reliable content in the digital space. 

Similarly, a section on Journalism and Artificial Intelligence weighs the advantages of automating routine tasks to boost newsroom efficiency against considerations of ethics, legality, professionalism and creativity.

Gyan-Apenteng ends the book with a stirring reminder of what it is that propels journalists. 

Infinite journey

Ultimately, he reminds us that journalism is a “calling to serve the community” and that journalists have a responsibility to project marginalised voices, shed light on injustice, hold power to account and become catalysts for change on an “infinite journey of discovery.”

The book is a timely reminder of the importance of ethical journalism in the digital age. As Gyan-Apenteng concludes, “The world needs journalists who possess unwavering dedication, integrity, and an unrelenting pursuit of truth.”

“Together, as guardians of truth and warriors for justice, we can shape a better world through the power of our words,” the Truth over Speed author says. For a conversation around these issues, join us on Graphic Online TV’s YouTube channel on Thursday at 10a.m.