A former Leader of the Institution of Information and Communication Studies of the University of Ghana, Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, has required an improvement in environmental surroundings in which the media operate irrespective of the laws in position. The lady said journalists must feel safe and confident to get the job done without fear of attacks, adding that "whether state or non-state actors, those who violate mass media rights ought to be held dependable and sanctioned" since it is the only way to reduce impunity. The lady, however, charged the media to do an introspection to address the a lot of complaints against them.
"Without room for civic liberties, there is the risk that severe governments would place further restrictions to deal with the media's ability to hold them dependable, " Prof. Gadzekpo said in the woman inaugural lecture placed at the truly amazing Area of the University or college of Ghana(UG), Legon, last Thursday. This was on the subject: "Taking the Gown to Area: Reflections of any Scholar-Activist on Media in Ghana's Democratic Journey".
The particular lecture was the 3 rd in a number of inaugural classes for the educational year and the first to be organized by the University of Ghana in recognition of the achievements of a female college student since the first female Vice-Chancellor, Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, assumed office. The event was attended by some past Vice-Chancellors of the University of Ghana, members of academia, media government bodies, civil society companies and a other personalities.
In the view of MR Gadzekpo, if the media have to be adults of democracy, "they themselves must expand their commitment to democratic ideals. Mass media development organizations, mass media activists and students must consciously strive to engage those in the media for owners to have reporters who develop better understanding of why the mass media must operate the public interest in support of democratic development. " Several members of the audience through the spiel.
She explained that although there have been many attempts by organization's within and out of entry doors academia to build the capability of media practitioners, the media industry itself must invest more in building the capacity of their employees. "There are few investigative media in Ghana for example, and a lot mass media organizations are not willing to allocate resources for investigative writing or sustained coverage of issues. "Capacity building must also include skills to cover specialized matters like environmental surroundings, research and technology which affect people, inch she said, and emphasized that "the trainings should also purpose at helping to create a more fair society by handling media and stimulating the media to enhance coverage of the marginalized and socially excluded.
Prof Gadzekpo further indicated that efforts to improve professional media and standard ethics must also be heightened in order towards off hostile exterior regulations. That, the lady said meant that media companies and associations including the Ghana Journalists Relationship and the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Relationship, must encourage do it yourself regulation and maintain their employees and members more dependable when they contravened professional and honest laws. Prof Gadzekpo said with mass media businesses already under strain, they have to look for new models and find more modern ways to survive.
She observed that the Ghanaian media are not only in such problem and that the "old model where commercial advertising is the only way to obtain media funding is amplifying. Other environmentally friendly types of financing from private philanthropists to public security must be investigated, " she recommended. She said because the media were for public good, it ought to be supported to endure. "If for practically nothing else, they have to endure in the interest of democracy, inch she emphasized.
Prof. Amfo, who chaired the wedding and introduced Prof Gadzekpo to the party earlier, said “ this is another feather in the cap of our female scholars and we are so happy with this success. ” Prof. Amfo explained that the university periodically prepared the inaugural classes in recognition of contributions of teachers issues promotion to the rank of Professor and also is a system for “our new professorial colleagues to share some ideas into their modern research works over the years".
