Veteran media practitioner and Managing Editor of The Insight, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has delivered a powerful message to the Ghanaian media community, urging journalists to move beyond simply fulfilling attention-seeking duties and instead prioritize the public interest. Speaking at the 77th anniversary symposium of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in Accra, Mr Pratt underscored the crucial distinction between journalistic reporting and the pursuit of sensationalism. He stated, “The journalist’s primary responsibility is to establish what the public needs to know, not merely to maximize attention.” This sentiment was echoed throughout the address, which extended far beyond a simple statement of principle. Mr Pratt emphasized that speed should not supersede accuracy in the digital age, a point he repeatedly highlighted. He explained that a journalist’s position is not merely to be a conduit for news, but to actively assess and present information relevant to the public’s well-being. He added, “The internet rewards speech, and journalism demands judgment.” The veteran journalist stressed that the shift in focus from information access to truth verification within an increasingly saturated information environment represents a fundamental challenge for contemporary journalism. Mr Pratt argued that the central challenge for Ghana’s journalism tradition stemmed from the evolving responsibility of media to uphold democratic, social, and national values. He pointed to the 1992 Constitution, which enshrined freedom of the press, and acknowledged the GJA’s historical role in shaping public consciousness during a period of significant political transformation in Ghana’s Gold Coast. He further highlighted the importance of the GJA’s legacy, noting that the press had historically been an active participant in Ghana’s struggle for self-determination. He cautioned against media ownership, financing, advertising, and political affiliations that could compromise editorial autonomy, stating that the absence of state censorship does not equate to freedom from external pressure. He expressed concern about media outlets demanding a minimum number of Facebook followers as a metric for employment, viewing it as a profound affront to the professionalism of journalism. Mr Pratt urged the media establishments to reconsider such practices, asserting that the responsibility to listen and not merely to speak – the need to prioritize citizens’ experiences – should be restored. He called for journalists to recover the responsibility to listen and not only the ability to speak. He emphasized the importance of representing diverse segments of society, not just disaster moments. He urged journalists to recognize the critical role of ordinary citizens, particularly those who did not hold press conferences, and to extend their attention beyond these limited events. Mr Pratt concluded by advocating for a re-evaluation of coverage, stating that current representations disproportionately featured state officials, corporate executives, and institutional authorities, while key segments of society, including farmers, market women, fishermen, educators, health workers, unemployed young persons, and communities, received inadequate and episodic attention. He urged journalists to actively engage with these groups and to address their needs. The GJA President, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, responded, calling for mutual commitment between journalists and leadership of the GJA to uphold the standards that sustained media credibility. He stressed that the association must be a source of professional development, guidance, and protection for journalists, but he also stated that responsibility ‘must work both ways’. He said the GJA leadership had a duty to strengthen the institution for the next generation, and the association should be a protector of the credibility of journalism. He said the GJA president added that the association must not defend the credibility of journalism if journalists themselves were unwilling to uphold the standards that make that credibility possible. He said journalists must pay greater attention to citizens who did not hold press conferences and whose experiences are often reduced to economic statistics. He said journalists must recover what he described as “the responsibility to listen and not only the ability to speak.” He also underscored the importance of digital media and AI, urging journalists to embrace ethics and professionalism in this evolving landscape. Mr Dwumfour applauded past executives and acknowledged current national and regional executives for their hard work, and he said the GJA leadership must be the “custodian, not owner” of the institution, and that responsibility must work both ways. He concluded by stressing that a journalist should be able to look to the GJA for professional development, guidance when new challenges emerge, and support when the legitimate work of journalism is threatened. Mr Dwumfour paid tribute to past executives and also acknowledged current national and regional executives for their hard work. “A journalist should be able to look to the GJA for professional development, guidance when new challenges emerge, and support when the legitimate work of journalism is threatened.””””””
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Source: Adom Online
