UniMAC-IJ: Study shows students perceive journalism as a dangerous profession

A lecturer at the University of Media Arts and Communication-Institute of Journalism (UNIMAC-IJ), Solace Yawa Asafo, has called on the institute to include journalist safety courses in its curriculum.

She made this call while speaking at the 9th Inter-Faculty seminar on the topic: “Media Training Schools and Journalists Personal Safety: A Survey of Journalism Students Perception and Knowledge of Personal Risks and Safety Measures.”

The event was organised by the Directorate of Research, Innovations, and Development (DRID), and the research department of the institution.

According to Dr. Asafo, journalist safety must be paramount to media schools as professionals face a lot of dangers on the field that have not been attended to over the years.

The research was conducted by sampling UNIMAC-IJ students and it found that 87 percent of students perceived the journalism profession as a threatening one while about 5 percent did not perceive the profession to be dangerous.

In recent times, journalists have received a lot of attacks in their line of duty.

Media houses have also not had it easy as people storm into media houses and attack them.

On October 7, 2023, Some New Patriotic Party (NPP) youth attacked the studios of UTV during a live broadcast of the entertainment show, United Showbiz to demand a political commentator retract and apologise for what they claim to be an insult and false accusations against the vice president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

The hooligans stormed the studios, disrupted the program, and threatened to assault the host and her guests.

Similarly, a journalist with Citi FM was assaulted by party faithful while covering the vetting processes of parliamentary hopefuls at the Odoodiodoo Constituency at the party's office in South La.

More often than not, these issues are not attended to.

According to the Media Foundation for West Africa, there have been ten attacks on media houses in 2023, and only one of these issues has been addressed adding that the rest have been thrown to dogs by authorities.

Since the fate of the journalist is usually left to their own hands, Dr. Asafo believes that media schools must take it upon themselves and include a three-credit course on the safety and security of student journalists.

The Chairperson for the event, Mavis Essandoh, in her closing remarks acknowledged the presence of various heads of departments who participated in the seminar.

She noted the growing dangers associated with the practice of journalism and reiterated calls to arm students with the safety protocols during their studies at UniMAC-IJ.

“…I think that this [study] will inform the kind of courses we roll out. I have never thought about a safety course for journalism until you talked about it and I am happy the HoD is here and will take note of it…I thank everyone for coming,” she said.