Accra, Nov. 12, GNA - The National Media Commission (NMC), on Thursday objected to the use of gory pictures on the front page of the Thursday, November 12, 2009, edition of the Daily Graphic. The NMC said it finds it unacceptable that the newspaper should use such distasteful pictures of victims of galamsey operators. A statement signed by Mr Paul Adu-Gyamfi, Chairman of the NMC, drew the attention of management of Daily Graphic to the publication "which is unethical and unprofessional".

It said: "We further want to draw the attention of the newspaper to the Ghana Journalists Association's (GJA) code of ethics on personal grief and distress and the NMC's print media guidelines on the use of photographs". The statement said to assuage the sensibilities of the bereaved families, the newspaper should have been more discreet about the publication of the photographs.

It advised media houses to be guided by the guidelines issued by the NMC and the GJA code of ethics in the interest of the sensibility and emotions of people in grief.

In another development, the GJA in a statement signed by Mr Dave Agbenu, Organising Secretary, urged management of Daily Graphic to exercise more care to guard against such unprofessionalism to prevent the public from accusing the media of recklessness and inhuman feeling. 12 Nov. 09