Ghanaian media shouldn’t see itself as untouchable – Editors

Editors of the Informer and Custodian newspapers have advised the media against being cruel in the discharge of its duties.

According to them, the media has been given the authority to work in the margins of the law “and we are not above the law.”

Andy Kankam of the Informer noted, “We are now allowing media tyranny to fester. Because we have the arbitrary rule of law, some think the media cannot be touched. Some of our colleagues are cruel in the discharge of their duties.”

Admitting the treatment of Citi FM’s Caleb Kudah at the hands of National Security Operatives was in a bad taste, Andy however believes the media should not try to justify his actions and bastardize the National Security entirely.

He added, “We all agree Caleb was not handled right but people thinking the media cannot be touched for doing something wrong is completely out of place. Even when the President says or does something wrong, he needs to be punished. Where Caleb went and did was improper and we should not try and make the National Security look bad for picking him up for questioning. We are not above the law and if we use the power bestowed upon us properly.”

With the media having the responsibility of ensuring checks and balances in the three arms of government, Andy advised the media to also check its own.

“Some of our colleagues have done the unthinkable and when they are being discussed, they rather play the victim. We should be law-abiding and shouldn’t always talk about our freedom whilst doing wrong. We should be diligent in our duties. Caleb entering a restricted area was not proper”, he told Samuel Eshun.

Awudu Mahama of the Custodian Newspaper adding on posited, “We cried for media freedom but when journalists write articles about persons and these people respond in a reciprocal manner, we see it as an attack and that is wrong.”

On his authority, there are instances where journalists abuse their power by writing about people without ever reaching out to hear their side of the story and that is really sad. “Some of us attack personalities and engage in character assassination and when the people being attacked respond in equal measure, we cry out that they are forcing the culture of silence.”

He argues if the media will criticise the wrong of public figures, then it should also be ready to take criticism as well.

“We should also have the tough skin to receive criticism. It is not fair for us to think we are untouchable,” he shared on the Happy Morning show.

The Editors insist that while the entire country, especially the media criticises the arrest of the Citi FM reporter, it should not overlook the fact that he broke the law too.

Citi FM’s Caleb Kudah was picked up by National Security Operatives for filming at a security zone.

After his release, Caleb alleged he was assaulted by operatives which subsequently led to their (criticism) by the media and Ghanaian populace.

In the aftermath, four officers were sacked from the Ministry of National Security after an investigation established that their conduct during Caleb’s arrest, “was inappropriate and contravened the standard operating procedures” of the ministry.