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Use of proverbs in news broadcasting condemned
Kumasi, Sept. 16, Ghanadot/GNA - Participants
at a National Media Commission (NMC) meeting on language
broadcasting have condemned the use of proverbs in news
items as they tend to breach journalistic tenets and could
cause confusion in the run-up to the December general
election.
While affirming the importance of using local languages to
reach the generality of Ghanaians not literate in the
English Language, participants were, however, worried about
the abusive use of proverbs thus rendering a slanted version
of what is supposed to be a factual rendition of events.
Participants, including media practitioners, officials of
the Electoral Commission and the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) said local language broadcasting as
practiced might lead to breaches of the peace.
They appealed to owners of radio stations to stop their news
readers from use of proverbs that might provoke people to
cause mayhem.
The Chairman of the NMC, Mr Paul Adu-Gyamfi, appealed to
managers of radio stations to consider hiring linguists or
journalists with linguistic backgrounds.
He said it was time the Ghanaian media restrained themselves
from junk journalisms that could not be defended in any
public forum but had the latency of inflaming passions.
The Senior Governance Advisor and Head of Governance Unit of
the UNDP, Ghana, Dr Clever Nyathi, tasked Ghanaian media
practitioners to practice conflict-sensitive reporting and
refrain from transmitting news that have the likelihood of
turning the country into flames.
The Executive Secretary of the NMC, Mr George Sarpong, said
it was imperative that the media discharged its duty with
the outmost sense of responsibility if journalists were to
continue to rely on the public for support in the
performance of their duties.
A Member of the NMC, Mr C.S. Buabeng, said too much
commentary and vulgar language was being put on air by some
radio stations as news, describing the situation as
“horrifying”.
GNA
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