The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has found that the media is contributing to the growing problem of indecent expressions, insults, intemperate language, hate speech, and divisive commentary on radio and television.
During election periods, Ghana often witnesses the use of abusive and inappropriate language directed at political opponents, institutions, and other groups.
The MFWA has observed that some radio stations allow political parties and their representatives to misuse the airwaves, with little or no intervention from hosts or presenters, which only serves to escalate political tensions.
Even more concerning, the Foundation noted, is that instead of shaping national political discourse for development and promoting social cohesion, some hosts of political programs have become notorious for their reckless and inflammatory language.
To address this issue, the MFWA has been implementing a language monitoring project since 2012. This initiative monitors, reports, and publicly identifies individuals who engage in hate speech and indecent expressions on radio.
The goal is to contribute to Ghana’s peace and democratic stability by fostering a national culture that rejects hate speech, incitement to violence, and other divisive narratives, while promoting peaceful coexistence and respectful political discourse.
The project involves daily monitoring of selected programs on various radio stations, tracking and reporting the use of hate speech and other inappropriate language by politicians and participants. It also assesses the effectiveness of presenters and hosts in moderating these programs.
Dr. Kojo Impraim, Director of the Media for Peace and Sustainable Development Programme at the MFWA, shared these concerns when he spoke to the media on the sidelines of a one-day dialogue for morning show hosts, producers, and presenters of political and current affairs programs.
The program was organized by the Media Foundation for West Africa with support from the U.S. Embassy, Ghana.
“We are monitoring 30 of these stations spread across 16 regions, and what we are finding is that the media is becoming part of the problem. Some hosts of political and current affairs programs, producers, and even editors are failing in their gatekeeping roles. They are not ensuring that the media does what it is meant to do — produce fact-based reports and maintain decent, responsible discussions around political issues,” he said.
In northern Ghana, five radio stations, including Maxx Empire in the Upper East Region, are being monitored.
Meanwhile, the U.S. government has reiterated its commitment to supporting Ghana in maintaining peace before and after the December 7 polls.
One key approach the U.S. government is employing involves training media practitioners, especially those hosting discussions and creating content on current affairs and political programs. The goal is to ensure they carry out their responsibilities thoroughly and responsibly.
These initiatives, funded by the U.S. government, include workshops on identifying and addressing misinformation and disinformation, organized by Dubawa, as well as a recent one-day dialogue for morning show hosts, producers, and presenters of political and current affairs programs.
Source: A1Radioonline.com | 101.1MHz | Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith | Bolgatanga
