Media urged to perform gate-keeping role

Accra, Feb. 28, GNA - The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on Mon= day urged the media to live up to their gate-keeping role to stop divisive and derogatory utterances.

In a statement signed by Mr Bright Blewu, general secretary, the GJA said its attention had been drawn to the diatribe and low-brow insults against each other by Mr Kenney Agyepong, MP for Assin North and an owner o= f a media house, and Alhaji Iddrisu Bature, Managing Editor of the Bilingual Free Press on Asempa FM.

It said it considered the behaviour of the two men 93most dishonourab= le" in view of their positions in society.

The GJA urged all media organisations, particularly radio and television stations, not to allow their stations to be used for such abusiv= e circuses that poisoned the social discourse and brought shame to the body politic. "The GJA believes a little more caution and respect for professional= ism on the part of the radio station that the two men were being featured would have averted that broadcast pollution. "The GJA gives every encouragement to the media to promote healthy political discourse but never to relax in their gate-keeping role in ensuring that divisive and derogatory utterances, especially those that hel= p to raise the political temperature, are not allowed on our airwaves." It drew the attention of stakeholders, including the government, to th= e need for a broadcast legislation before political campaigning for the 2012 elections began in earnest. The GJA said a broadcast legislation would, among other things, requir= e operators to be mindful of such intemperate behaviour and help infuse greater responsibility in terms of civility, decorum and circumspection in broadcasting in particular and the media in general.