Ghana Connect: Language on media platforms – mark of professionalism or otherwise?

At a time when a journalist of Accra-based Montie FM, Salifu Maase popularly known as Mugabe and some radio panelists risk being sentenced over intemperate comments allegedly meant to disparage the justices of the Supreme Court, discussions are rife on whether an intemperate language has been left to rule the airwaves.

The two panelists, Alistair Nelson, and Godwin Ako Gunn alleged threatened to murder justices of the Supreme Court (SC) if their ruling in a case challenging the electoral roll does not favour the Electoral Commission (EC).

The journalists could not escape as they were summoned before the SC where they are facing contempt charges and they were al found guilty. The Court sits on July 27, to give its decision on what punishment to mete out to them if any.

Against this backdrop, Evans Mensah, host of Ghana Connect on Joy FM connected with Ghanaians both home and abroad to discuss the issues.

Connecting were Editor of Myjoyonline.com, Malik Abass Daabu, a student of School of Communication Studies, Esinam Normeshie, a British journalist, Fred and former Education Minister under erstwhile Kufuor government, Elizabeth Ohene.

Editor of Myjoyonline.com, Malik Abass Daabu, believes for the impact of a discussion of this nature to be felt in the society, there is the need to distinguish between who a journalist is and who is not.

He argued this is essential because when people talk about media, “they are looking at media in the strictest sense” hence a distinction will help ease down the discussion.

He, however, did not fail to point out that politics in Ghana operates without rules and this goes a long way to affect media practice in the country because people say all sorts of things without substantiating them.

He finds the act where politicians set up radio stations to propagate political agenda in the country as part to be blamed for intemperate language in the media.

A student of the University Of Ghana School Of Communication, Esinam Normeshie, says contrary to Mr Daabu’s opinion, she has no problem if politicians establish radio stations to propagate political agenda.

“A media house could be established by anybody but the responsibility lies with whoever is speaking to the people to ensure clean language,” she said.

She added that it is not a bad idea for a radio station to have a political leaning if at the end it will be responsible for putting out cogent and credible information to consumers.

Even though she was critical of the kind of media practitioners in the country, she believes with fresher courses and training they will live up to expectation.

A foreign media practitioner said what is seen as an intemperate language in the media is just a failed attempt by some journalists and panelists to translate the English language into a local dialect and vice versa.

This, Fred said has come about because there are more irresponsible people in the media than there is of responsible people.

He challenged the institutions entrusted with law enforcement in Ghana to step their activities to sanitise the system.

Also joining the discussion was the former Education Minister under former President Kufuor, Elizabeth Ohene.

She was unforgiving of national institutions such as the National Media Commission (NMC) and the National Communication Authority (NCA) for failing to hold media houses to the task.

According to her, it is not just about issuing out frequencies to media houses but holding them accountable for what they do is important.

But a former of the National Media Commission, Dr Clement Apaak, said it is unfair for anyone to accuse the NMC for intemperate comments on the airwaves.

He says the NMC is doing enough to check the behavior but this has to be complemented by media houses themselves.

“I don’t think we are being fair to the NMC in Ghana. There are limitations to what NMC can do but it is doing its best to address the challenges in the country,” he said.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brakopowers