During the news-file current affairs discussion programme on Joyfm on the 22nd day of May 2010, a member of the panelist who was said to be a member of the government of Ghana communications team by name Stan Dogbe made certain statements regarding the over payment of ex-gratia to former Members of Parliament. The comments Stan made were subsequently reproduced as a news item by Joyfm on same day. Stan Dogbe later issued a rejoinder on the 23rd day of May 2010 to dispute what was published and attributed to him. I saw a whole lot of contradictions in what he said which would be explained in later paragraphs. Having listened to the news-file programme and as well read Stan’s rejoinder my conclusion is that, Stan was by his rejoinder only confirming what was attributed to him by Joyfm which he was apparently “disputing”! It is very true that, Stan did say all what was attributed to him and he repeated same even in his rejoinder. He did say that, the Daily Graphic should be “blamed” for choosing to focus on only the Minority Members of Parliament something he went further to say it was the editorial right of the Graphic to “choose and pick”. The contradiction is that, if Graphic can choose and pick can’t Joyfm do same? In Journalism one word could be enough to enlist a front page story. This I believe Stan knows very well. Any media house has the editorial right to decide what angle to give to a story or anybody’s statement provided that, it has the evidence to buttress its claim. This is exactly what Joyfm did on this occasion. Let me refresh readers memory; during the recent elections to elect a new Prime Minster in the United Kingdom, ex- Prime Minister Gordon Brown who was one of the candidates made a statement about a pensioner which was given such an extensive and wider coverage that, it is even thought that, “Bigoted” statement Brown made also contributed to his defeat in the elections of May 6th 2010.. I understood Stan very well in relationship to what happened. He was torn between two worlds; communicating for the government versus neutrality. For instance he was obviously communicating for the government when he tried to isolate the government from the ex-gratia publication. He was also been objective in my view when he said the Graphic should be “blamed” for focusing on the minority alone rather than the complete list the paper had which included the current Vice President of Ghana John Dramani Mahama and the Minister of Works and Housing Alban Bagbin. The problem how ever is that, the Graphic as a State paper can be said to be towing government line as it is general seen. It is further seen to be going silence propaganda for government at times. So if Stan is a member of the communications team of the government and some employees of the Graphic are card bearing members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) it is to be expected that, he would rather want to put the blame on Joyfm which is a private station and not the Graphic. The unfairness however is that, Stan Dogbe’s effort to denigrate the integrity of Joyfm even though it did no wrong publishing what he said which is on audio. If Joyfm is the most popular private radio in Ghana and makes it possible for the likes of Stan to use its airwaves to do their propaganda and political communications the station should rather praised and not be subjected to false accusations. My advice to Stan is that, there are times communication gets complex and when it happens things must be taken in good faith rather than embarking on a rat race to justify what is obviously untrue. I have a feeling that, Stan saw Joyfm as an easy target to rant at. The management of Joyfm must not always allow some persons who feature on their programmes to “Ambush” them throw false propaganda to the effect that “standards were falling at Multi-Media”. It is just a strategy to intimidate them. Tell them that, standards at Joyfm should even collapse! Keep on doing the good works. Discerning listeners are the best of Judges not some of your panelist who are at times there for their own personal interest. So Stan Dogbe, leave Joyfm alone if you can not be fair to them! AKILU SAYIBU UK EMAIL:Akilu.sayibu@live.uwe.ac.uk
During the news-file current affairs discussion programme on Joyfm on the 22nd day of May 2010, a member of the panelist who was said to be a member of the government of Ghana communications team by name Stan Dogbe made certain statements regarding the over payment of ex-gratia to former Members of Parliament. The comments Stan made were subsequently reproduced as a news item by Joyfm on same day. Stan Dogbe later issued a rejoinder on the 23rd day of May 2010 to dispute what was published and attributed to him. I saw a whole lot of contradictions in what he said which would be explained in later paragraphs. Having listened to the news-file programme and as well read Stan’s rejoinder my conclusion is that, Stan was by his rejoinder only confirming what was attributed to him by Joyfm which he was apparently “disputing”! It is very true that, Stan did say all what was attributed to him and he repeated same even in his rejoinder. He did say that, the Daily Graphic should be “blamed” for choosing to focus on only the Minority Members of Parliament something he went further to say it was the editorial right of the Graphic to “choose and pick”. The contradiction is that, if Graphic can choose and pick can’t Joyfm do same? In Journalism one word could be enough to enlist a front page story. This I believe Stan knows very well. Any media house has the editorial right to decide what angle to give to a story or anybody’s statement provided that, it has the evidence to buttress its claim. This is exactly what Joyfm did on this occasion. Let me refresh readers memory; during the recent elections to elect a new Prime Minster in the United Kingdom, ex- Prime Minister Gordon Brown who was one of the candidates made a statement about a pensioner which was given such an extensive and wider coverage that, it is even thought that, “Bigoted” statement Brown made also contributed to his defeat in the elections of May 6th 2010.. I understood Stan very well in relationship to what happened. He was torn between two worlds; communicating for the government versus neutrality. For instance he was obviously communicating for the government when he tried to isolate the government from the ex-gratia publication. He was also been objective in my view when he said the Graphic should be “blamed” for focusing on the minority alone rather than the complete list the paper had which included the current Vice President of Ghana John Dramani Mahama and the Minister of Works and Housing Alban Bagbin. The problem how ever is that, the Graphic as a State paper can be said to be towing government line as it is general seen. It is further seen to be going silence propaganda for government at times. So if Stan is a member of the communications team of the government and some employees of the Graphic are card bearing members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) it is to be expected that, he would rather want to put the blame on Joyfm which is a private station and not the Graphic. The unfairness however is that, Stan Dogbe’s effort to denigrate the integrity of Joyfm even though it did no wrong publishing what he said which is on audio. If Joyfm is the most popular private radio in Ghana and makes it possible for the likes of Stan to use its airwaves to do their propaganda and political communications the station should rather praised and not be subjected to false accusations. My advice to Stan is that, there are times communication gets complex and when it happens things must be taken in good faith rather than embarking on a rat race to justify what is obviously untrue. I have a feeling that, Stan saw Joyfm as an easy target to rant at. The management of Joyfm must not always allow some persons who feature on their programmes to “Ambush” them throw false propaganda to the effect that “standards were falling at Multi-Media”. It is just a strategy to intimidate them. Tell them that, standards at Joyfm should even collapse! Keep on doing the good works. Discerning listeners are the best of Judges not some of your panelist who are at times there for their own personal interest. So Stan Dogbe, leave Joyfm alone if you can not be fair to them! AKILU SAYIBU UK EMAIL:Akilu.sayibu@live.uwe.ac.uk
