Media research slam journalists

Accra, May 7, GNA - A research conducted by the National Media Commission (NMC) showed that 65 percent of the 1,072 news items reviewed in both print and electronic media concentrated on the Greater Accra Region to the neglect of the nine others.

The research conducted in September last year revealed that politics had the greater share with 22 per cent, while 20 percent of the stories lacked balance. Five per cent also carried misleading headlines.

The document, which was made available to the Ghana News Agency, in Accra, on Monday by the NMC, said news on development projects was less than one per cent with drug related stories attracting eight percent. Sports stories accounted for 20 percent, women and children issues, two per cent, the economy; 14 per cent, law; three per cent, education, science and environment; nine per cent, development; one per cent, tourism; one per cent, health; five per cent, peace and security; eight per cent and arts and entertainment; one per cent, while Media and culture issues recorded three per cent each.

The document explained that the high percentage recorded by sports was due to the fact that many newspapers devoted their back pages to sports news.

The research noted that eight per cent of stories carried by newspapers were not supported by facts while 13 per cent failed to answer the journalistic questions of Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How.? Eight per cent of the stories reviewed did not mention their sources, thus breaching section 2(A) of the NMC Print Media Guidelines, which stipulates: "It is important to identify sources as often as is feasible."

The document said: "The concerns of the voiceless, which is an important index for measuring public participation in the democratic discourse was given less attention as against prominent personalities which affected development."

Mr Paul Adu-Gyamfi Chairman of the NMC who commented on the document asked journalists to draw the attention of policy makers to the plight of people in every part of the country and insist on solutions to problems. He called on journalists to show interest in issues relating to the all regions and not Greater Accra alone.