By Dorothy Frances Ward
Kumasi, May 13, GNA – Journalists and media practitioners have been urged to uphold fairness, transparency and professionalism in their reportage to strengthen public trust in the media.
Mr Bright Blewu, a former General Secretary of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), said the media played a critical role in national development and must remain committed to truth, accuracy and balanced reporting at all times.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi, he noted that the increasing spread of misinformation and sensationalism in some sections of the media posed a threat to ethical journalism and the country’s democratic growth.
Mr Blewu said journalists served as watchdogs of society and must avoid practices that could damage the credibility and integrity of the profession.
“They must check, check and check again,” he stressed.
He explained that fairness and transparency in reportage were essential for promoting accountability, peace and responsible public discourse.
Mr Blewu further encouraged media practitioners to resist political manipulation and external influences that could compromise their professional duties, and rather focus on issues that promoted national unity and development.
Touching on press freedom, he observed that although Ghana continued to enjoy a relatively vibrant media landscape, media freedom also came with responsibility and ethical obligations.
He called on media organisations to invest in continuous training and capacity building for journalists to enhance professional standards in the industry.
Mr Blewu noted that World Press Freedom Day, marked annually in May, aimed at promoting press freedom and ensuring the safety of journalists worldwide.
He also appealed to government and media house owners to prioritise the welfare of journalists by ensuring prompt payment of fair salaries and allowances to motivate professionalism and independence.
GNA
Edited by Yussif Ibrahim /Lydia Kukua Asamoah
Reporter: Dorothy Frances Ward
[email protected].