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The pen is not a
missile to destroy hard earned reputation, Journalists told.
By Awudu Salami Sule. Ghanadot
Accra, Nov 8, Ghanadot - Mr Alexander Bannerman, the Deputy
Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission (NMC) has
urged journalists not to use their pen to destroy hard won
reputation or to pursue personal agenda in the negative way.
Rather, Mr Bannerman said, journalists should strictly adhere to
the code of ethics set out by the National Media Commission and
the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and this he noted would
put to end the acrimony that sometimes erupts as a result of
media reportage.
The Deputy Executive Secretary of the NMC made this known in
Accra over the weekend when he was speaking on the topic
"Upholding ethics in journalism for effective reporting" at the
Earl Beam hotel.
The
programme was a two-day workshop for journalists in the country
and it was organised by the Parliamentary Press Corps with a
sponsorship from the UNDP.
He revealed that, a cursory look at the complaints that have
been lodged variously against some media houses at the
commission point to the infractions of the ethics of the
profession.
"Most of the stories are not balanced and fair to the offending
parties and this has always called for a retraction and apology
which is not helping the profession", he noted.
Mr Bannerman pointed out that, if newspapers and reporters were
to adhere to the ethics set out by the NMC and GJA,there would
be no need for an apology or retraction of a story.
"Reporting must not be influenced by the circumstances at the
time of filling the story, but must be guided by the principles
that form the very basis of the profession", he advised.
For his part, Hon John Tia, the deputy majority leader who was
speaking on the topic "media- a tool for accelerated
development" advised journalists to focus their reportage on
issues that would promote development in the country and do away
with sensationalism.
He said, the United Nations has carved a path for the media to
focus their attention in order to push forward the frontiers of
development by coming out with the Millennium Development Goals
which include eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving
universal primary education, promoting gender equality and women
empowerment, reducing maternal health and among many others.
"It is important that the media focuses its reportage on these
issues in order to realise the Millennium Development Goals" he
said.
Ghanadot
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