MFWA honours 13 radio stations
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has honoured 13 radio stations that made significant contributions towards issues-based and peaceful general election in December 2016.
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They are Classic FM and Space FM in the Brong Ahafo Region, Radio Justice and A1 Radio in the Northern Region, Citi FM, Joy FM, Peace FM and Star FM in the Greater Accra Region, Skyy Power FM in the Western Region, and Angel FM, Kessben and Hello FM in the Ashanti Region.
The awardees were selected from the 70 most influential radio stations across the country.
The event, dubbed, ‘MFWA Post-elections Media Forum and Awards,’ was funded by the Ford Foundation, OSIWA, STAR-Ghana, the French Embassy, DW Akademie, International Media Support and the European Union.
Reduction in indecent language
At the forum in Accra, the Executive Director of the MFWA, Mr Sulemana Braimah, said there was an 80 per cent reduction in the incidence of indecent campaign language, particularly on radio, a development which indicated an improved media delivery in Ghana.
He attributed the improvement in the delivery to the strong relationship between the media and the election stakeholders, including the Ghana Police Service and the Electoral Commission (EC).
Media’s role
Mr Braimah said the media played crucial roles in the society by serving as the channels for campaigns, platforms for public debates and discussions and conduit for public sensitisation and awareness.
For that reason, he said, the media required support and monitoring so that any professional lapses could be pointed out to them.
While contending with the imperfections of the media during the electoral campaigns, Mr Braimah said some political activists, in their quest to win votes and power, sought to use the media to put out hateful content, instigate violence and peddle falsehood.
“If the media are allowed to be abused by politicians that way, their influence as agents for democratic discourse can be negative rather than positive,” he said.
Mr Barimah urged the media to position themselves for what was even more important in the enterprise of democratic governance by holding duty bearers accountable to their promises and ensure fair, just and participatory governance.
Avoid sensationalism
The Head of Communication of the EC, Mr Eric Dzapkasu, lauded the collaboration between the EC and the media and urged the media to avoid sensationalism in their reportage and refrain from deliberate fabrication of stories.
He said the EC had adapted its operations to ensure professionalism in the strong symbolic relationship it had established with the media.
For his part, the Founder of the MFWA, Professor Kwame Karikari, encouraged the government to put pressure on Parliament to pass the Broadcasting Bill.