Government is calling for urgent measures to be taken to check the circulation of fake news in the country.
Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah is worried over the increasing spate of fake news circulated on social media, since the phenomenon is also being recorded by mainstream media.
He made these statements when the GJA President, Dr. Roland Affail Monney and the national executives of the GJA paid a courtesy call on him in Accra.
[contextly_sidebar id=”sx0pAQA823ysYZfGucX0n1GbZ185a2Gz”]Mr. Oppong-Nkrumah therefore advocated for a stakeholder engagement to find a way of curbing this menace before it grows out of proportion.
“Fake news continues to be a major creeping challenge into main stream media. It has even gotten to the extent that main stream media houses are publishing some of the stories that have been flying on fake media platforms.”
“It is now a debacle we must begin to confront especially in an era where people now begin to do fake videos. So it is important for stakeholders to confront the issue to identify it and tackle it because our mutual existence as professionals in the media space is threatened by the existence of fake news, he noted.
Funding for GJA’s 70th anniversary
Meanwhile, President of the GJA, Roland Affail Monney, has appealed to government for funding, to enable the GJA successfully celebrate its 70th anniversary.
“This is an event which will enhance our profile as a citadel of press freedom but we cannot bear the financial implications alone. We are financially handicapped and so we need support from government. We need to do this well to ignite pride in all of us.”
Africa Rising’ threatened by failures of journalism’ – Ken Thompson
The Chief Executive Officer of Dalex Finance, Mr. Ken Thompson, recently asked the media to resume its prime responsibility of educating and promoting economic development, instead of allowing what he calls “shouting, fake news, name calling and lying associated with the political diatribe that now dominates the media space”.
He said “…journalism has failed in leading in the civic education of the people as envisaged by ‘Africa Rising’, adding the discourse in the media has become “overly political and incomprehensible.”
Africa Rising is a term coined to describe the rapid economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa since the year 2000, and the belief in the inevitability of further rapid development in the continent.
According to the Financial Times, Africa Rising is a “narrative that improved governance means the continent is almost predestined to enjoy a long period of mid-to-high single-digit economic growth, rising incomes and an emerging middle class”.
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By: Nii Larte Lartey & Naa Shika Ceaser | citinewsroom.com |Ghana | [email protected]
