Professionalism in radio at all-time low – Tommy Annan Forson

Veteran Ghanaian Broadcaster, Tommy Annan Forson, has bemoaned the existing level of professionalism on Ghana’s air waves.

With consistent “misbehavior” by radio show hosts, the God Father of radio in Ghana is saddened by this trend.

Speaking on the Happy Morning Show to commemorate World Radio Day, the broadcaster expressed sadness over happenings on the country’s airwaves. “I must confess I am not too happy with the kind of radio being done today. There’s a vast difference between how radio was done back then and now. When it comes to professionalism, I think the trend has gone down tremendously and it saddens me when I hear people misbehave on the air.”

With professionalism in radio having been reduced drastically, the broadcaster says it is sad to listen to some radio presenters make jokes and trivialize serious issues. He chided radio hosts for speaking to issues they are not abreast with, inadvertently inciting collective bodies and the nation.

“We have issues of rape and maltreatment being discussed on air and you’ll hear some radio hosts treating this like a joke, and I must say a lot of Ghanaians are suffering high blood pressure and that’s sad,” he lamented.

He charged radio owners to also prioritize professionalism and invest in regular training exercises for on air staff.

World Radio Day is observed on Feb 13 every year to spread awareness on the importance of radio as a medium to inform, educate and entertain.

The theme for World Radio Day 2023 is ‘Radio and Peace’ which focuses on the role of radio as an independent medium of peace making. The sub-theme of the day are ‘Radio in Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding’ and ‘Support to Independent Radio’.

You can also watch this episode of People & Places here: