Dear Ghana Media - Let's Stand and Fight for our Values

By Crabbe Nathaniel

"But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away", Matthew 13:25.

For some if not most politicians and their party faithful - the end game to winning means the other party has to be destroyed.

Which is why Ghana's media have a towering amount of work to do: investigating and double-checking everything, "speaking truth to" and holding power accountable at these crucial and sensitive electioneering period.

The media can either contribute to a more useful system and process or to deepening the political dysfunction - which is - perhaps long before I noticed - the toxic partisan affairs most of us have become accustomed to.

Also Read: http://cmcghana.blogspot.com/2016/10/with-no-apology-charlotte-osei-has-got.html?m=1

Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Adams Mahama, who died in the hospital following an acid attack on him and the NPP Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North in the Eastern Region, Joseph Boakye Danquah-Adu, who was also stabbed to death at his residence - among other unacceptable acts in today's civilized world of politics are evident of the poisonous partisan nature of Ghana's 'politenemics' [politics + enemies].

While this is not peculiar to this country - I cannot pretend that I'm well acquainted with the political happenings of other nations: what I have read and heard isn't enough to pass as an expert to warrant any critique of this or any sort.

Notwithstanding - no Ghanaian or persons of good will should be heckled from penning their observations and concerns about a subject matter because they are not an authority on the issue: we must all be willing to allow the wheels of checks and balances to plough in on our various spaces while we make history one more time.

This is another reason media practitioners especially the powerful segments of the media must be told they cannot allow themselves to be infected by the politics of acrimony: Journalism cannot be weaponize in favor or against an individual, group, groups or political parties.

We cannot allow ourselves to be called on to duty and used as enablers by individuals and so-called party big wigs whose maneuverings and shenanigans seek to plunge our country into avoidable chaos. 

And that is why I am scandalized by the #Here and #Say reporting being fed to the masses: Monday December 5, 2016, sham evidence of thumb-printed ballot papers could have been easily fact-checked with the authorized institutions i.e. Electoral Commission [EC) and/or Police before publishing.

Purported bags of thumb-printed ballot papers

It would therefore be reasonable for one to ask - couldn't the people that matter at the so-called big media houses fact-checked the bizarre evidence of thumb-printed ballot papers among other earlier alleged electoral crimes before disseminating?

I would reiterate the words of the Ashanti regional police command, COP Kofi Boakye, who said the purported bags of thumb-printed ballot papers found in a hotel in Kumasi are fake and described the “noise as irresponsible, unnecessary and uncalled for.”

COP Kofi Boakye

How difficult is it to determine the stamp and serial numbers on authentic and authorized EC ballot papers? I can think far on this; deadly mischief aimed at causing public distrust and disaffection for the Electoral Commission has been championed for far too long.

But I would be diction-careful in this regard. Because our job as media practitioners in this Herculean times is beyond just here and say reporting: we must rise above this kind of reporting to fact checking before sharing.

The simple reason: readers do not always come back for updates as they should.

Why they don't: they sometimes have other pressing needs demanding their attention - not just what has become media rants published as news.

I - a non-award-winning journalist is forced to ink my fears of the possibility of our media plunging us into perils that would be arduous to return: the deep trenches of civil unrest fueled by its repeated but avoidable failure to abide by the simple ethic of fact-checking stories. Double! Before publishing.

Because the country cannot afford to have people embark on peaceful protests much worse violent ones sparked by reinforce falsehoods or unverified media reports at the ongoing sensitive electioneering process - more so - when some political party foot-soldiers are poised to cause mayhem at the least chance catalyzed by falsehoods.

But relax; I am well aware of what accusing the media of inciting, sympathizing, and associating with any group or political party means: we'll be accused of being a rented-press - which politicians and their party loyalists know too well - how to tag journalists - and they have - in order to discredit us and rob the fourth estate off of the trust the public reposes in us, our significant role in shaping the course of politics while diminishing the important role of the media as a force in governance.

Sadly - this is working!!

Also Read:http://cmcghana.blogspot.com/2016/09/patriarchal-nonsense.html?m=1

I dare you to read the comments section of write ups by the so-called big media houses and you'll be alarmed at the eroding public trust in the media: some of which is self-inflicted though.

And this is a matter above grave concern. I quake. Sometimes worse. Because this is not just what I went to the Ghana Institute of Journalism for - to fight for our values - as a Ghanaian I cannot sit and watch.

Trust is our sole bargaining chip. Once broken we can as well pack our pens, reporter's notes, coats and call it a quit.

Ghana requires a free and safe press at all times - and in a time such as this - to help the citizenry make informed decisions regarding who they vote for.

Not a #Hear and #Say media - worse yellow journalism. We shouldn't stand for being tagged biased or rented or lying or failing to double-check.

Although in the last month or more - we've engaged in somewhat - yellow journalism - and have caused more harm because we choose what would sell our brands and click bait headlines against patriotism and professionalism: I shrink in disbelief at the thought and sight of this.

Do you?

I would urge that we return to unbiased fact-based reporting. And work towards truthful reporting: media practitioners cannot afford to further erode the public good reposed in us.

And to you non-media persons - there is always two sides to a story - sometimes more. Don't just believe or conclude after hearing the selective narratives put out there by the so-called media "cabal".

The solution: always research the stories you read or hear especially from your known party-loyal media houses before you conclude. And be open to more information from other sources.

Let us fight for our values!!!

 

Crabbe Nathaniel

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This write up was largely inspired by CNN's Christiana Amanpour.