The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) has been praised for its commitment to gender inclusion, as new research by the Ghana Women Experts Project highlights the state broadcaster’s efforts in featuring female experts on its platforms.
The 2024 study, conducted in collaboration with the British Academy and City St. George’s University, monitored morning programs on six major media houses in Ghana. The findings revealed that Ghana Television (GTV) had the highest representation of female interviewees among the stations assessed, with women making up 30 percent of expert guests.
This is significantly higher than the representation on private media stations, where female interviewees ranged between 3 and 15 percent. According to the research, TV3 recorded the lowest inclusion of women in discussions, with only 3 percent of its interviewees being female. Similarly, Peace FM’s flagship morning show, Kokrokoo, featured only 8 percent female guests. Other private broadcasters such as Joy FM and Starr FM each had 15 percent female representation, while Citi FM’s Breakfast Show recorded 10 percent.
Media analysts say the study confirms longstanding concerns about gender imbalance in media discussions, where male voices overwhelmingly dominate public discourse. However, GBC’s relatively higher representation of women has been commended as a step in the right direction.
Speaking on the findings, Professor Audrey Gadzekpo of the University of Ghana’s Communication Studies Department emphasized the need for media houses to be deliberate in engaging female experts. She urged media producers to actively seek out knowledgeable women and make space for them in national conversations.
She also called for the passage of Ghana’s long-awaited Affirmative Action Law to ensure increased female participation in media discussions. She stressed that gender representation on media platforms should not be left to the goodwill of broadcasters but should be reflected in national policies.
“The media plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse, and if we want to see real change, the Affirmative Action Law must include provisions that ensure balanced representation on media platforms,” she stated. “Women’s voices matter, and they must be heard in conversations about national development.”
Gloria Anderson, a Chief Editor at GBC, stated that the broadcaster remains committed to inclusivity and will continue to create opportunities for women to be heard. She encouraged female professionals to be proactive in accepting media invitations, as visibility is key to breaking barriers.
Alfred Ocansey of TV3 and Martha Crentsil Acquah of Joy FM, both key figures in broadcast journalism, acknowledged the findings of the research and assured stakeholders that their respective media houses would work to improve female representation.
“We take this research seriously, and we recognize the need for more women’s voices on our shows,” Ocansey noted. “As media practitioners, we have a responsibility to ensure diverse perspectives in our programming.”
Martha Crentsil Acquah echoed similar sentiments, saying, “We are committed to making deliberate efforts to bring more female experts on board. This study has given us data to work with, and we will take actionable steps to close the gender gap in our programming.”
The Ghana Women Experts Project called on all media houses to follow GBC’s example and take intentional steps to increase female representation. The report recommended capacity-building for women in media engagements, active collaboration with professional associations to identify female experts, and internal policies to ensure balanced representation on discussion panels.
As the conversation on gender equity in the media continues, stakeholders agree that while GBC’s progress is commendable, more work remains to be done across the industry to ensure that women’s voices are adequately represented in national discourse.
One Response