Entertainment Journalist and Editor at Presspeep.com, Osarfo Anthony has opined that VGMA board should desist from responding to comments and critics on social media.

Osarfo Anthony in a Facebook post posited that it in an attempt to clarify or justify controversies that rise up every year prior to the event and also to protect a brand, some members of Charter house and VGMA Board, end up using their personal social media handles to respond to critics on social media which to him, is too risky for building the brand Charter house and VGMA.

The entertainment journalist also advised that Charter house and VGMA’s official social media handles should be used to respond to issues on social media.

Read his full post below:

Members Of Ghana Music Award (VGMA) Board May Stop Responding To Social Media Comments/Critics

Members – organizers, Charter house, and Board, of Ghana Music Award (aka VGMA), may consider eschewing from responding or reacting to social media commentators and critics – I think so.

To nurture an award for 20 years is no joke. The Ghana Music Award (GMA) came to meet a number of existing awards and along the line, others joined, but today, most are nowhere to be found. They are dead and buried!

Charter house and the Ghana Music Award Board, therefore, deserve paean for how far the award scheme has come.

Just as any award scheme, GMA has been barraged by critics right from day one – and with the new age of opinionated space (social media), the criticisms keep thickening each year.

Observing keenly since 2012, critics, fans, and followers of VGMA have taken advantage of the virtual world, Facebook, precisely, to share their thoughts on the award (before, during, and after). That is actually the essence of democracy- free speech.

But in an attempt to clarify, justify, or protect a brand, some members of Charter house and VGMA Board, end up using their personal social media handles to respond to critics on social media. That to me, is too risky for building the brand Charter house and VGMA.

Properly situated and reputed award schemes or organizations (of which Charter house and VGMA are), don’t use or don’t allow its board, academy, or workers to use their personal social media handles to communicate with the public or do PR works!

One’s personal social media handle is personal to him/her and is sometimes even used for fatuous ends. It’s therefore not too appropriate and safer for official duties – especially where crisis management is concerned.

As a publisher/writer, I’ve observed that lots of people on social media are too quick in addressing PERSONALITY – instead of ISSUES. Using personal social media handles to respond to official matters will mostly end up in fighting persons – some of whom, don’t even deserve attention!

As a member of Charter house and or VGMA, you may be passing on the official position of the two brands on an issue to the public, but the risk is that a good number of the handlers engage you on social media on a daily basis.

Hence, they see you first and so deal with you before Charter house or VGMA come in hand. That is where tempers rise, crude dictions are traded, and integrity is soiled!

Again, as a publisher, I’ve come to realize that the virtual world we call social media, is not meant for ‘serious-minded’ and ‘deep-thinkers’ – I believe the creators knew and had that in mind. It is a space for bagatelle and fun! It is a space where many lack intellectual acuity and offensive speech reigns! Sadly, nobody can end that.

Some will definitely and always hate, pass silly comments, mock the brand, run it down, or make wild allegations. Consider them flying birds who don’t land. Just use press releases, official social media handles, or resort to the court to protect the brand.

I should believe Charter house and VGMA have official social media handles – they may consider using them to respond on social media. If they don’t have, they may consider creating one for PR on social media.

Charter house and VGMA are bigger than you – so why not hide behind the company’s official social media handles and save yourselves the stress and conserve your personal hard-built integrity?

I wish the team at Charter house and VGMA all the best and look forward to another exciting edition of VGMA, this time, @ 20. Until then…MOTWUM!!