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.
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| 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.”
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| 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!!!
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| Crabbe Nathaniel |
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#GodBlessCrabbitaMediaConsult.
This write up was largely inspired by CNN's Christiana Amanpour.
