The Dean of the School of Information and Communications Studies at the University of Ghana, Prof. Abena Yeboah-Banin, has called for stronger collective negotiations to ensure fair revenue sharing between local media organisations and global digital platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, X and TikTok.
She made the remarks on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at the Media Convergence in Ghana Conference organised by the African Media Bureau under the theme “Rethinking Traditional Media in a Digital-First Era.”
Prof. Yeboah-Banin argued that debates over content use and value extraction in the media space are not new, noting that traditional media has long operated in systems where content is repurposed across platforms for commercial gain.
She cited historical examples such as radio stations using newspaper reviews to build monetisable programmes, saying the current digital environment reflects a more advanced version of that practice.
According to her, the key concern now is how intellectual property is recognised and how revenue generated from content distributed through platforms like Facebook, YouTube, X and TikTok is fairly shared with original content creators.
Prof. Yeboah-Banin stressed that individual countries may struggle to negotiate effectively with global technology companies, suggesting that a collective African approach would strengthen bargaining power.
“I am not sure it will even happen between Ghana and Facebook. Maybe between AU and Facebook so that there is a bit more spine behind the power of negotiation,” she said.
She added that content produced by media organisations constitutes collective intellectual property and should be properly recognised and valued within the global digital ecosystem.
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