NMC deplores reckless reportage in the media

Koforidua, Sept 11, GNA - The Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission (NMC), Mr George Sarpong, says the most harm to be caused to the freedom of expression in Ghana could be due to the infractions being committed by media practitioners.

He said the current situation whereby some media men flagrantly disregarded professional ethics posed a serious danger to press freedom because many of the instances of aberrations could not be justified. Mr Sarpong said a continuation of the abuses could result in the public going against the media and appealed to journalists to guard against this.

Mr Sarpong was speaking at a workshop the NMC organized in conjunction with the United National Development Programme (UNDP) to sharpen the skills of media practitioners at Koforidua on conflict reporting.

He said the constitutional protections that journalists were enjoying were meant to help deepen democratic practices in the country. Therefore, Mr Sarpong went on, it would be unjustified for the media to lay a reckless onslaught on individuals' liberties. Professor Nick Idoko, a Communication Consultant who took the participants through some of the nuances of good journalistic writing, stressed the need for media practitioners to adhere to the ethics of their profession to earn the respect of other professionals.