Stop panellists from making reckless comments - Jantuah to media

Jantuah says freedom of speech does not imply panellists can make reckless comments

Laws that protect media houses not applicable to panellists, Kwame Jantuah

Some media shows have to stop morning shows because of comments of politicians, Jantuah


The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) African Energy Consortium Limited, Kwame Jantuah, has urged the media houses in the country to put measures in place to stop their invitees from making irresponsible comments.

According to him, some media houses in the country have banned their political morning shows because of the bad pronouncements of politicians who are invited to the shows, asaaseradio.com reported.

He said despite the fact that Ghana’s Constitution grants freedom of expression, these freedoms do not imply that persons can make reckless comments

“In terms of press freedom, there’s a responsibility; the fact that the constitution gives you the chance to exercise your franchise as a media house and as the Fourth realm of the State doesn’t mean that you can allow people to make reckless comments,” Kwame Jantua was quoted by asaaseradio.com.

The CEO, who is also a legal practitioner, hinted that the laws that protected media houses in the duties their performed were not applicable to persons they invited.

“And one thing probably you’ll be able to educate me; the provisions that protect the media and the constitution, do they protect the panellist who comes on the stations?”

“… especially when panellists are not part and parcel of the fabric of the organisation? Because if it does, if anybody is coming to arrest me for saying something, I can say that I said it on this media house and this media house is protected by the constitution,” he stated.