The National Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC) Mr. Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh as his way of complimenting the media, has commended the Upper East media for their cooperation and punctual report, especially in the area of conflict in Bawku. Apexnewsgh.com report
Interacting with the media during his visit to the Upper East Regional Capital Bolgatanga on Friday, January 6, 2023, Mr. Boadu-Ayeboafoh noted that, ‘Bawku is a conflict area but you are at the peripheral of Bawku and most of you talk to people in Bawku. So, more of the time, the story that you report are close to hearsay’.
“Sometimes, it depends on the person you are talking to and in a situation like this, nobody is neutral because the Bawku issue is a sentimental issue. when you are talking to both sides, every one of them is so sentimental”.
He advised journalists to always make sure they get accurate and authentic information before reporting.
“Sometimes, sitting in Bolga and calling someone on phone could be a very dangerous avenue of propagating falsehood”.
“When you get the stories, you don’t rush to publish them, if the story turned out to be false, what integrity do you gain? He stressed
However, he further stated that the NMC is mandated to do the things they do, as he advised the media to cooperate with the Regional Advisory Committee.
“Is not that we are just talking, we have the mandate to do the things that we do and when we approve the things they have done, it is our decision and none of you can challenge a decision of the National Media Commission. So please work together with the media advisory committee, it will serve the interest of the people of this region”.
The NMC National Chairman also noted that “…sometimes there are things we hear and we keep to ourselves and there are things that we hear and we tell everybody and there are things that we hear and we tell only our best friends”
Meanwhile, the Upper East Regional Chairman of NMC Mr. Robert Ajene a retired educationist who was also part of the meeting also advised the media to always show some amount of decorum with their reportage, especially in the conflict area.
“Don’t say anything that you have not thoroughly investigated, and don’t also support any side when there is a controversy. This is what happens most of the time, the practicality of the matter is more than the theory you know. You make know the theory but without the practical side of it, what kind of news are you going to report?
Meanwhile, the National Media Commission Chairman was accompanied by the national secretary George Sarpong and some other members of the regional advisory committee such as the Right Revd Dennis Debukari Tong and Mr. Alfred Abugre Ndago a retired educationist were all present at the meeting.
The NMC was formed in 2016 as an agency mandated with the responsibility of registering, regulating and monitoring the activities of media houses in Ghana.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana
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