Pluralistic Media and Press Freedom

Media Institutions play an essential role in Ghana's political and social development. A well-informed public, a pluralistic media free from government intervention, objective state owned media and journalists adherence to professional standards and codes of ethics are some of the most important pre-conditions for a thriving democratic society. In order to strengthen a pluralistic and independent media practice guided by professional standards, the FES cooperates with various partners and in particular with the National Media Commission (NMC), the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the School of Communication Studies (SCS).

Media Election Coverage

Ghana's media landscape tends to get shaped by political allegiances. Obviously, during general elections and campaign periods, adherence to the ground rule for media practitioners, i.e. to remain objective and impartial, becomes more challenging and demanding.

A couple of regional media training workshops "Political and election reporting" were therefore organised throughout the country in collaboration with the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) during the campaign period in 2004.

This collaboration culminated in the "GJA Election Night" on election day, December 7th 2004, and in cooperation with the Electoral Commission the GJA-International Press Center became the rallying point for all media personnel waiting for the release of the official results, as they were announced.

Strengthening the National Media Commission

The National Media Commission (NMC) is an institution guaranteed under Article 166 of the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and established under Act 449 in 1993, followed by an amendment 561 in 1998 as an independent body. Its main functions are (a) to promote and ensure the freedom and independence of the media for mass communication and information, (b) to take all appropriate measures to ensure the establishment and maintenance of the highest journalistic standards in the mass media, including the investigation, mediation and settlement of complaints made against or by the press or other mass media; (c) to insulate the state-owned media from governmental control; (d) to make regulations by constitutional instrument for the registration of newspapers and other publications, except that the regulations shall not provide for the exercise of any direction or control over the professional functions of a person engaged in the production of newspapers or other means of mass communication; and (e) to perform such other functions as may be prescribed by law not inconsistent with this Constitution.

However, the NMC is rather poorly resourced and has suffered some serious drawbacks lately.

Our joint programmes began towards the end of the last decade and concentrates mainly on both the development and provision of professional standards for media practitioners and sensitisation workshops and trainings for media personnel. During the years of parliamentary and presidential elections, in 2000 and 2004, our collaboration was also extended to enable the NMC to pro-actively monitor all media election reporting and regularly feed back its findings into the media establishments. In the light of its proven usefulness, it has been agreed that the 2004-monitoring center will remain continuously operational, though at a reduced size.