President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Affail Monnie has bemoaned the level of unprofessionalism exhibited by some individuals in the media landscape claiming to be journalists.
According to him, the unprincipled and unethical approach in dealing with matters of importance by these individuals has contributed to wide-ranging problems witnessed in the practice of the profession.
Speaking at a public lecture in commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day, Mr. Monnie argued that, the inexistence of laws barring people without qualifications from practicing journalism has contributed to a great proportion of fake news peddled and distorted information disseminated into the public domain on daily basis in the country.
“Anybody can practice journalism and our laws do not frown on that, so whether you are a Kenkey seller, a trotro mate (commercial bus conductor), or a politician, the law permits you to practice journalism,” he stated.
Affail Monney advised persons already practicing journalism to exercise decorum in their line of duty and urged others interested to indulge in the profession to oblige the code of conduct stipulated by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) stressing the need for rigorous training to tidy up the system.
“Anyone who decides to play the game of journalism should play it according to the rules and the rules contextually are the ethics of the profession and as far as ethics are concerned standards are not uniform…we have certain sections which also symbolize ethical bankruptcy,” he lamented.
He held that there is the general practice of press freedom which protects many journalists across the world, however the freedom they enjoy must in no way be abused in effect.
“The solution to this problem is training. The reality here is that many journalists are not educated, they are not trained in journalism. We have masonries who have invaded the media space and their intentions are clear for all to see...We have the freedom to abuse but there should be a limit to the abuse of freedom,” Mr. Monnie added.
Source: Ghanaweb.com
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Mr. President, you have spoken well but I think you can do well by pressing for the requisite laws to stem out the bad practices. I agree that you can also ameliorate the situation by making it possible for your members to access quality training yet the proper legislation of your practices will scare miscreants from entering your fold. Journalism is a profession and it is not anybody who can speak or construct good sentences should be allowed to engage in the practice. If they want to be part they should offer themselves for training!
It is just simply wrong, unethical, for anybody ever to mis-educate and misinform a neighbor.
Mr Monnie I agree 100% with you. How can Kofi tv invite people like Badu Kobi and Akua Donkor to talk about national issues and all the spew is garbage! If he is a professional journalist he will never do that. People who are technocrats and know what they are about are there and you see these people calling Akua Donkor ,Badu Kobi are we a nation of jokers or they are ign****barred word*** due to where they come from? I can't imagine Mike Egan or Tommy Annan Forson of yesteryear inviting such people on their shows, are we going or coming or marking time? If those years could produce good people, professionals why not now, why too many f000*00ls in our country now? Ghana was among league of nations before P/NDC. Ghana was a respected nation south of the Sahara,loved by all nations and even travelled to some countries without visas, this country started deteriorating when P/ndc came on our political atmosphere and Ghana hasn't recovered since then and I don't know what they put in our water bodies and food to bring out this generation who can't think far. How can any serious person invite an illiterate like Badu Kobi to discuss serious national issues, what does he know about economy ,education ,health etc and how do you expect an illiterate to tell you free education is good when he didn't get that chance. If he were to be a teenager now would he refuse? and such an idi*t who calls himself a prophet is invited to say something to the good people of Ghana, may GOD have mercy on US. Ghanaians must reset our God damn minds to know what is good and bad, what is lies and the truth. If we know the truth, we will know Badu Kobi is a scam, not man of God. No man of God whose congregation is enjoying free SHS will talk politically like that, he should rather put on political suit not that long gown calling himself what he is not. He will suffer before he die !nobody should ask why I'm saying that?look at the bitterness in his eyes, he is not man of GOD, you see the spirit of voodoo or Juju in his eyes. This man has been punished by GOD in 2017 and has started the same thing again and he will suffer for that! The Holy Spirit is never to be mocked! Let him continue with his f000*lishness and the LORD of HOST will show him his smoothness level. Badu Kobi is satanic !