By Maxwell Awumah, GNA
Ho, Dec 4, GNA-Mr Makafui Woanyah, Volta Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), says a Television or radio political programming that is skewed towards one side of the divide is a looming disaster and a time bomb waiting to explode, especially in this election year.
He appealed to media owners and, especially show hosts to demonstrate neutrality, fairness and professionalism in the discourse of political shows and programming.
“It will be a gaping disservice to the people, journalism and democracy if show hosts and managers inclined to a side of a political divide.”
Mr Woanyah said these during a media Soiree the Regional Secretariat organised for selected journalists and practitioners in the region in Ho on Tuesday.
He said anything short of neutrality, fairness and forthrightness would portray show hosts as being “Coaches, match commissioners and players rather than being Referees.”
The Regional Chairman urged show hosts to demonstrate greater competence and moderate shows seamlessly in conformity with acceptable standards and devoid of ethnic undertones.
“You are expected to research issues in order to seamlessly be a good gate-keeper while moderating shows to earn the confidence of panellists and the listening or viewing publics.
He said empanelling was as important as the show itself and balance was crucial as well as fact checking.
Mr Woanyah said fundamental to politics was development and that his expectation of ‘Breaking the Eight’ was possible if the media could assist to set the NPP records straight.
He said the visibility of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was cascading in the region and data attest to increasing voter numbers of over 100,000 in the last elections in favour of the NPP.
He attributed this to deliberate and clear-cut government projects, programmes and policies that touched the core of humanity.
The Regional Chairman pointed out that the difficulties being encountered under the economy were seeing turn-around with prices of key commodities taking downward trends and optimistic that by half year, the NDC would be out of campaign message.
He said former President John Mahama expressed doubt that the NPP would make a Muslim its flagbearer-elect but this had materialised and the NDC was gradually losing campaign grounds as data of development achievement will permanently fix the nail in their coffin.”
Mr Perry Nuwordu, Regional Communications Director of NPP, said the meeting was to cement the bridge between the party and the media in the region focusing on winning the 2024 general elections.
He said the Party had deployed life-transforming projects across all spheres of the economy, a vintage show even to the admiration of their political opponents, who have used subterfuge to dispel their achievements.
The Communication Director said the voting pattern of the party in the region in the recent Congress to elect a Flagbearer showed how diverse the NPP was, which placed the region ninth among the 16 regions.
He said the Party’s strategies for the Region would increase votes in the upcoming elections.
Mr Pope Yao Yevoo, Regional Secretary of the Party, said show hosts, who misinformed the audience should be made to quit the position.
As the shows are bonafide franchise of the Television or radio stations, which needed to be guarded.
He said despite the economic difficulty the country was experiencing, he was elated the lights were still on, the free Senior High School that educated about 100,000 from the Junior levels yearly were on, among others.
He said Ghanaians would come to appreciate Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, its flagbearer-elect, when he rolls out his mesmerising policies for the nation.
Present were Party stalwarts in the region.
GNA