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The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) have admonished the media in Ghana not to abuse their freedom as the fourth estate of the nation.

Speaking to journalists at the IEA Conference Hall in Accra, a Senior Researcher of the Institute, Dr. Ransford Gyampo noted that the media tends to abuse their "freedom of sensationalism and falsehood."

According to him, a survey conducted by the Institute indicated several Ghanaians rely on the broadcast media for their daily dose of news.

"Two-thirds of Ghanaians get their daily news from Radio. This is followed by Television (45.7%)...Reading newspapers for news seems not to be common with many people as 3 out of every 4 (75%) people never get their news from newspapers."

He further stated that the survey also showed that the news media abuse their freedom by printing or broadcasting falsehood.

"The dark days of censorship, gagging and other undemocratic tendencies that undermine media freedom seem to have given way to a new dispensation where media freedom is highly exalted. It appears some of the media abuse their freedom by sensationalism and falsehood.

"Excessive partisanship also seems to dictate what the media publish or do not publish...Experiences from Rwanda and Sierra Leone for instance suggest that negative reportage could create social and political instability."

The IEA therefore appealed for possible checks to place on Ghana's media freedom.