'Media mediocrity’: Tell us state of the church too - Citi FM CEO replies Otabil

Over the weekend during the 34th anniversary of the International Central Gospel Church, founder, Pastor Dr Mensah Otabil had told his congregation that rather than focusing on discussing and finding solutions to the numerous problems confronting the country, Ghanaian media choose to wallow in ceaseless political discussions all-year round.

Pastor Mensa Otabil said the media in Ghana are so “depressing” and full of “mediocrity” – a situation, he said, compels him to prefer watching foreign TV channels that show documentaries about animals rather than wasting his time listening to local radio or watching local TV stations.

The revered clergyman took swipe at the media for extreme partisanship and plain mediocrity.

“You listen to our national conversations, you wonder: are we serious? We eat and drink politics… Turn on radio; here [Ghana], there is no political vacation. From the time the vote is cast to the time the next vote is cast, we argue politics morning, afternoon, evening”, he said.

But it appears the clergyman’s words did not sit well with one of Ghana’s top media CEOs- owner of one of Ghana’s biggest radio stations Citi FM - Mr Samuel Atta-Mensah, popularly known as Sammens.

An avid social media user, the CEO of Citi FM, who is also the Vice President of the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) wrote in a post which has since been deleted, “I hear one pastor is talking about the “sorry state” of the Ghanaian media. Please tell that pastor to tell the whole Ghana on the same pulpit about the state of the church in Ghana today. I will continue with the post next week Sunday.”

Mr Atta-Mensah was referring to Pastor Dr Mensah Otabil’s viral comment about the “depressing” and “mediocre” state of Ghana’s media landscape which he (Mr Atta-Mensah happens to own and run one).

With the post deleted, it remains to be seen if the influential CEO still has a promise to keep “next week Sunday”.