The former Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa, Professor Kwame Kakari, has indicated that the purpose of press freedom is to ensure that the media is free and independent from the government and other institutions.
He emphasized that free and independent media is essential for the effective discharge of its responsibilities, as it guarantees that media operations promote peace, foster development, and advance good governance in society.
As such, he indicated that independent media is better positioned to hold those in power accountable, amplify marginalized voices, and facilitate informed public discourse, all of which are critical for a healthy democracy and the well-being of society.
“In Ghana here, whether the ranking has gone up or declined, the real question we should ask ourselves is, how are the media in the country functioning to improve governance, to support people’s freedoms, to support development, to promote happiness and security in the society”.
Professor Kwame Kakari
Furthermore, Prof. Kakari expressed skepticism about the Ghanaian media’s impact, noting that despite its freedom, it fails to effectively utilize its liberty to drive meaningful social change and improve society.
He emphasized that the media’s purpose goes beyond mere freedom and that it must harness its independence to promote public good and contribute to the betterment of society.
He noted that the media has failed to fulfill its critical role in exposing the ills of society, despite the plethora of social, political, and economic challenges that have beset the country over the past year.
As such, he emphasized that this lack of scrutiny has allowed these issues to persist, perpetuating a culture of impunity and undermining the country’s progress.
“Look at the mess this country is in. To what extent has the media been exposing all these wrongs in governance? We live in a country that is drowning in corruption and yet where is the level of investigative journalism?”
Professor Kwame Kakari
Moreover, Professor Kakari lamented that investigative journalism, which plays a crucial role in exposing the shortcomings of governance and facilitating societal solutions, has regrettably been absent from the practice of journalism in Ghana which has hindered the ability of the media to hold those in power accountable.
He noted that the media rarely raises critical questions about governance and how the incumbent NPP government is steering the affairs of the country, indicating that the media has also failed to question the opposition NDC that aims to replace the NPP government.
Relevance Of The Media
Furthermore, Professor Kakari opined that the country’s ranking is not essentially useful if the media continues to perform abysmally.
He indicated that the basic function of the media is to search for and tell the truth, arguing that any investments made in the media are to ensure that the media performs its core mandate of educating the public and mobilizing opinions for the good of society.
“The elections are coming. What is the role of the media? To question each and every candidate, whether at the Parliamentary level or Presidential level… We have at least three radio stations in every district across the nation, what are they doing about the local government and district assemblies? Our media virtually don’t report on what goes on in district assemblies”.
Professor Kwame Kakari
Moreover, he observed that despite the pervasive nature of chieftaincy disputes in various communities across Ghana, most radio stations at the district level have failed to provide adequate coverage of these conflicts, neglecting to report on them and also refraining from airing educative programs that address related issues.
As such, he posited that the media’s significance extends far beyond its ranking, stressing that regardless of whether Ghana ranks first or hundredth in the global press freedom index, the crucial aspect to focus on is the media’s impact and relevance in society.
Prof. Kakari noted that what truly matters is the media’s ability to effectively hold those in power accountable, promote public discourse, and contribute meaningfully to the country’s democratic development.
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