By Emmanuel Oti Acheampong
A Ghanaian Broadcast Journalist with the Despite Media Group, Nana Yaw Kesseh, has expressed concerns over the rate at which media houses in Ghana are being owned by politicians, saying the development poses a greater threat to the practice of judicious Journalism in Ghana.
In addressing the topic of Journalism beyond the Headlines on GTV on July 30, 2023 during a panel discussion, the seasoned journalist bemoaned how media houses in Ghana are being owned by Ghanaian politicians. He mentioned that, such acts deter journalists from performing their judicious roles in informing and educating the public on issues occurring in the country.
According to him, the ownership trend of media houses over the past years in Ghana has been in alignment with the sitting government. He explained that, the rights and frequency to operate as a radio station in Ghana, is being rolled out to businessmen or politicians who share in the same ideologies with the sitting government. This, he said, hampers the professionalism of Journalists who work in such media houses.
He stressed the difficulty it has become for genuine passionate media-minded people to acquire a radio frequency in the capital of the country, Accra. He mentioned that there are politicians who have hoarded frequencies in their rooms. He also alleged that politicians who have access to the radio frequencies do not operate them, but rather sell them to their politically inclined partners at higher fees.