Akilu Sayibu: Is It Only Journalists Who Are Irresponsible?

In recent times Journalists have come under an avalanche of criticisms from the society for various reasons. The summary of all the criticisms is that “Journalistic standards are falling in Ghana” much as some of the criticisms are necessary and welcoming; some of the criticisms and some of the persons making them are at times guiltier than the Journalists!

At times it is like when public servants and politicians wants sound-bits then they have to discern on the Journalists to achieve that. The irony however is that, when Journalists are attacked; at times needlessly, it is the same Journalist who will report it and even deodorize it!

Journalists especially in Ghana are so envious of each other and are willing to pull themselves down with some of these baseless attacks. I always ask myself; “when will Journalist decide to blacklist some of these persons who are usually guiltier of what they do accuse journalists of from the media?”

Let me give some examples; Patients are beaten up by the very nurses who are expected to offer them care and compassion; doctors do forget scissors and other implements in stomach of patients after operations, policemen do shot to kill innocent people, Judges do miscarry justice through wrongful imprisonment of citizens, drivers do kill either though over-speeding or over drunkenness. Pastors who are expected to be men of God are raping their children, some teachers defiles are pupils and some soldiers at times stripes citizens to nakedness

Lecturers are said to be awarding “sexually transmitted grades” in tertiary institutions in Ghana; civil servants takes bribes and politicians tells naked lies, abuses state resources etc. The list is endless!

What is so irritating however is that, you hear some of these lecturers who themselves are accused of at times awarding sexually transmitted grades accusing Journalists as if they are next to God in terms of sanity.

Politicians who have lots of questions to answer, and to me need to even keep quiet are also seen running their mouths all over the place accusing Journalists.

At times it is so disheartening when the very persons making the allegations are at times Journalists and presided over worst unethical journalism practice at a point in their lives.

The motive of this write-up is not to defend the Journalists but it is just to explain how Journalists are assaulted by almost everybody including themselves. I did like to advice colleagues in the inky fraternity to endeavor to as much as possible stay away from stories that has no locus but rather has the potential to discredit them.

At times the reason Journalists rush to publish is for the purpose of scoops but then they must be told that, the best scoop is that which is exact and accurate not those meant to drag hard earned reputations into the gutter.

Another reason Journalists falls into some of these unethical issues is that, some of the media houses are either understaffed or do not have highly trained Journalists to do very good work.

Some too easily falls to the professionalism of spin doctors who uses their news management techniques to get some things into the media. The situation is even now serious in Ghana as political parties have propaganda secretaries whose duties at times include turning “white to black” so Journalists must be on the highest alert to protect the profession.

At times the very people who will plant the stories in the media will be the same people who will turn round to accuse the Journalist of unethical behavior and irresponsibility. Journalists must themselves protect the profession by avoiding needless assault on their own profession.

The police hardly attack the police service, doctors are quick to defend any negligence on their part, nurses will beat patients and still go all out to defend themselves, the Journalists must also protect the profession; after all the very people who bath the Journalists with accusations of irresponsibility at times can not dare cast the first stone when the searchlight is focus on them! To all those who criticizes the Journalists; but knows deep down their hearts and minds that, they are only doing that to get at those Journalists and media houses must ask themselves if they are perfect? They must be told that it is not the very best capitalizing on little imperfections of others; knowing that nobody is perfect to “insult” them at times.

The greatest people I respect are those who usually call or email to tell me of my mistakes in my writings and even offer suggestions and not those who just start insults immediately they see Akilu Sayibu under an article.

My conclusion is that, those criticizing the Journalists must at times convert the criticisms to constructive suggestions without necessary gasping for breath as they attack Journalists and the media while they are worst off in their backyard.

Akilu Sayibu UK

Email: Akilu.sayibu@live.uwe.ac.uk