Professor of Communication and Media Studies, Audrey Gadzekpo has indicated that media freedom in Ghana continues to decline due to the absence of regulations in the broadcast sector.
She stresses the urgent need for a broadcast law to address the increasing attacks on journalists, referencing the World Press Freedom Index, which ranks Ghana 50th out of 180 countries.
Speaking on Joy News’ AM Show on November 11, 2024, Prof. Gadzekpo said, “There are no regulations in place governing the broadcast space, and we have been talking about this for many years.” She added, “The lack of a broadcast law should have been addressed at the beginning, when the airwaves were liberalized.”
She also called for stronger measures to deter impunity against the media, stating, “There have to be sanctions for impunity against media professionals, and stronger sanctions at that.”
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) reported 45 cases of attacks on journalists between 2019 and 2023, with the most recent incident involving Joy News’ Environmental Journalist, Erastus Asare Donkor, and his colleagues, who were assaulted by illegal miners in the Ashanti Region.
Despite efforts to seek justice, the case has seen slow action from the Ghana Police Service.
In response, the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) has been organizing training programs to enhance media practitioners’ skills and ensure their safety, benefiting over 1,000 journalists.
As stated by the GIBA President, Cecil Sunkwa-Mills, “In the past 24 months, together with several institutions, we have conducted training, capacity building, and media literacy programmes for over 1,000 journalists from media houses across the country. This is to help align ethical practices and also enhance technical skills.”
While a broadcasting bill has been in place since 2014, its passage remains pending, despite repeated promises from the government.