There Is Everything Wrong With NMC’s Report – Manasseh Azure

Multimedia Journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni, says there is everything wrong with the NMC’s report about his documentary.

According to him, he never expected anything less from the government agency, National Media Commission(NMC).

Speaking on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that though they respect the decision of the committee, they do not agree with the commission’s report.

"For me, I know I have done my job as a journalist and I believe every discerning Ghanaian knows that what I did was in the interest of the public," he said.

He added that he is not against any government or party in power and will never serve any government’s interest.

"I will continue do my work as a journalist but I believe the National Media Commission would have done better with their report," he added.

He however reiterated the need for journalists to continue doing their work without any fear or favour.

In March 2019, Joy News produced a documentary purporting that the State was complicit in the training of a supposed militia that used the former seat of government, the Osu Castle, as its training grounds.

But, after it was petitioned, the NMC said the documentary goes against GJA’s code of ethics although the focus on the group operating from the Castle was in the interest of the public.

The Commission among other things said the use of some photos and footage in the documentary were not properly related to the original focus of the story.

“In the end, the Commission found out that the attempt to expose the fact that the group operated from the Castle was in the public interest. However, in the attempt, the investigation had not been consistent in following the ethical standards defined by the Ghana Journalists Association’s code of ethics, particularly guideline 23, which states that ‘a journalist ensures that photographs and multimedia content adequately reflect an event and do not highlight an incident out of context’,” the Commission stated in its report.