Accra, Jan. 22, GNA – Professor Kofi Abotsi, Dean of the Law School at the University of Professional Studies, has called on Ghana’s media to avoid partisan journalism and instead focus on presenting the public with accurate, knowledgeable, and unbiased information.
He stated that the media should not be used to promote any particular ideology or personality but rather to help the course of national development.
Prof. Abotsi made the call at the official launch of Zion Hills Multimedia (Zed Multimedia), a lifestyle, leisure and business media platform, at the weekend in Accra.
Zed Multimedia comprises several subsidiaries including the New Finder Newspaper (formerly the Finder Newspaper), Zed TV, Zed 101.9 fm radio, Zedonline and Zed Tech, a digital technology service.
Prof. Abotsi said it was unfortunate that party politics had dominated every aspect of the national debate in the media when there were critical and urgent developmental challenges that should have captivated the public.
According to him, the dominance of partisan politics in shaping public narratives often led to polarized and less collaborative discussions about national progress and cohesiveness.
Noting that the media played a central part in increasing awareness and triggering national dialogue and debate on key development priorities, Prof. Abotsi said it was time for the media to shift its focus away from the dominant discussion of political entities and toward issues that would move the country forward.
He challenged ZED Multimedia to provide substantive and qualitative news, saying, “The challenge with ZED is whether it would marry normalcy or go above the voices.”
“It should ask itself if it would be the best in breaking news or best in factual news. They should not be the first to want to speak and disclose because in that process, quality news is lost,” he stated.
Prof. Abotsi challenged Zed Multimedia to deviate from the usual and provide substantive and high-quality content that contributes to public discourse.
“There should be authenticity and you should reflect values. Zed Multimedia should talk about things no one is talking about, like Artificial intelligence, which is moving the world forward. They should focus on tourism, and education and chart the business agenda without being political.
“Zed Multimedia should become innovative and be alive to the dynamics of the media environment the world over. They should stay the course of value,” he stressed.
Other speakers at the event expressed concern about the “poverty of knowledge” in the public sphere, despite the plethora of voices and information sources available.
They voiced concern about the declining standards of journalism and the quality of public debate in the media and urged media outlets to take a larger role in raising the level of discourse by providing well-researched and perceptive content.
They asked Zed Multimedia to prioritize accuracy, integrity, and professionalism to promote national development.
Pastor Mensah Otabil, Founder and General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), pushed Zed Multimedia to stand out in Ghana’s extremely stereotyped media landscape if it wished to thrive.
“The forces that drive your market are going to try to drive you to follow the general trend that everybody is manifesting…You must be ready to bring on new and innovative ideas and think differently. It is possible in an environment where everybody is going one way and for you to go the opposite way and still thrive,” he said.
Mr Kwame Painim, an economist, also bemoaned the falling standards of media practice, saying Ghana needed a professional, unbiased, and active media to boost growth.
He urged Zed Multimedia to promote truthfulness to combat the spread of misinformation.
Prof. Stephen Adei, a respected academic, urged the management at Zed Multimedia to change the narrative in the media landscape in Ghana.
He urged Zed Multimedia to take a tough stance against misreporting and intentional misinformation, emphasizing the irreversible implications of disseminating false information.
Nana Osafo Kantanka, Executive Chairman of Zed Multimedia, stated that the media outlet intended to be professional, qualitative, objective, accurate, and independent, and was committed to excellence.
GNA