Kumasi, July 15, GNA – Social and political commentators have been urged to exercise circumspection and show respect to people in authority when they go on radio and television stations to contribute to national discourse.
“Television and radio hosts should also work to bring to order, people who go overboard and make disparaging remarks or insult people during political or social discussions in their stations.”
Mr Opoku Agyeman Prempeh, Executive Director of Centre for Moral Education and Development (CEMED), who made the call, said it was sad that some people were making it a habit to insult their political opponents and other people in authority, whenever they had the opportunity to talk on radio or Television.
He said the Ghanaian culture frowns on disrespect for the elderly or people in authority and this should always be at the back of the mind of politicians and social commentators as well as journalists who sat on the radio.
Mr Prempeh pointed out that the recent spate of insults on the airwaves ahead of the campaigns to the December elections was worrying and stressed the need for circumspection to ensure peace in the country.
He appealed to the media to lead the crusade to instill discipline in people who were invited to take part in political or social discussions in their stations to ensure that they regarded the dignity of people they were going to talk about.
Mr Prempeh also urged the media to do proper investigations on issues raised by panelists who came to their stations to ensure that the people were fed with true information.
GNA