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Is the National Media Commission toothless?
There have been a number of blatant verbal attacks on various media platforms by presenters without them being called to order. The best the NMC has done is to condemn. But can the commission go beyond that?
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As stipulated in the constitution, it is “to take all appropriate measures to ensure the establishment and maintenance of the highest journalistic standards in the mass media, including the investigation, mediation and settlement of complaints made against or by the press or other mass media.”
Unfortunately, the NMC has failed in this regard as there has been a number of blatant verbal attacks on various media platforms by presenters without them being called to order. Simply put, the NMC has failed to crack the whip!
On the other side, some presenters have resorted to using suggestive language on radio just to drive traffic to their station. These personalities often labelled as “controversial” are those radio station owners spend huge sums of money to employ. Yes, that is a fact! Most radio station managers are interested in presenters who are not necessarily balanced or trained but have sharp tongues. These presenters gained popularity through such avenues and are obviously known for that. The said presenters are uncultured, unprofessional and insensitive as no one who really knows what journalism entails will engage in such an act.
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Today, journalism / broadcasting has, to a large extent, digressed from its core purpose [educate, inform and entertain] to sensationalism, innuendos and spewing of unprintable words as a way of battling a perceived enemy. The media is rather polluting the society instead of impacting virtues on the people.
Some media houses (presenters) take delight in raising two parties on the phone during live shows just for them to launch verbal onslaughts at each other when indeed there is an issue to solve. By the time the show ends, there would not have been any meaningful achievement.
Sadly, the act is gaining roots and the earlier it is uprooted, the better for the country as a whole. It does not bode well for posterity.
Some media houses are owned by individuals who think once they have a grudge with someone, they have a platform to settle scores with such people. The mere fact that the station belongs to them makes the presenter have absolutely no control over their utterances. In most cases, the presenter either joins the owner to spew vulgar words or act as if he is mediating, yet, he is rather fanning to flame the despicable remarks.
What is disheartening is listening to ‘Men of God’ heap insults on each other and claiming to possess more spiritual powers than the other. It is more sickening to realise that these pastors have the backing of their congregants who fight anyone who makes any attempt to criticise their ‘untouchable’ pastor.
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READ MORE: > Obinim warns critics over his ‘snake’ comment
Here are few instances among the lots:
There were reports that Prophet Ebenezer Adarkwah Yiadom, founder of Ebenezer Miracle Centre and owner of Kumasi based radio station, New Mercury, engaged in a verbal battle with one Evangelist Akwasi Awuah also in Kumasi. This followed remarks by the latter on his radio programme on Sikka FM that the former and other fake pastors have been deceiving and exploiting the gullible by selling to them items believed to be miraculous.
Similarly, Bishop Daniel Obinimof International Godsway Church engaged in a blistering media warfare as they battled for supremacy. There was another ‘episode’ which featured fetish priest, Kwaku Bonsam and Ebenezer Adarkwah Yiadom.
Interestingly, some radio stations repeatedly play the sound bites on their platforms not to criticise but for the fun of it – something I consider ridiculous.
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The absurdity has continued for too long. The recent squabble between Afia Schwarzenegger and Hon. Kennedy Agyapong is one that has been talked about by the general public and it was surprising that the NMC delayed in condemning the act. But, can the commission go beyond just ‘condemning’? The fact is that it can be done by anybody and even before the commission did, the public had.
READ MORE: > NMC condemns Ken Agyepong, Afia Schwarzenegger
Is the condemnation enough to maintain highest journalistic standards in the mass media? Does the commission even monitor in order to regulate activities of media houses in Ghana at all?
It is time the National Media Commission cracked the whip. If media houses are not ready to maintain sanity on their airwaves, NMC must not remain silent. If the commission fails to act, it would get to a time our society would turn into a jungle. Election 2016 is just around the corner and if tensions will rise, it depends on how media houses handle issues. Sanity must prevail.
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