The noises, insults, and immaturity displayed by some of the nation’s supposed social commentators, who portray themselves as journalists and political influencers, must be identified for what they truly are: irritants, misinformed adults, and ignoramuses. To lend credibility to their ongoing foolishness and insults. The nation’s media landscape, which was once the pride of postcolonial Ghana, has now become a source of ridicule, resembling a theatre filled with individuals who have only surface-level knowledge of 21st-century journalism and media.
Since its establishment during the Fourth Republic, the nation’s free media has become a source of both humour and frustration. It serves as a haven for various characters – good, bad, and ugly. It has transformed into a swamp where lies are tolerated, insults are manipulated, and media manipulators are trained to discredit opponents for free. This phenomenon carries serious implications for the nation’s uneducated youth, many of whom consume this information and the promises it contains. As a result, they are often turned into tools and pawns for political parties, politicians, and their various supporters and followers.
The right to speak freely, as protected by the Constitution, has evolved into the right to disparage politicians, policymakers, adversaries, women, men, and people with disabilities – all in the name of freedom of speech. Insults have become the mainstay for some of the nation’s journalists and media hosts, who are often not the most knowledgeable but excel in loudness and the art of gossip and slander. The louder someone insults, the larger the paycheck; the more a commentator is willing to stoop to the lowest levels to engage with their opponents, the more substantial their position and contracts become. Our democracy is in a dire situation – a jungle where reckless media mercenaries are employed to spread lies about political rivals.
The insults in national politics are not isolated exercises; they are constituted and funded by faceless politicians who lack coherent policies and vision, and who take joy, however sadistic, in smearing their opponents with defamatory narratives couched as truth. The juvenile behaviour exhibited by certain media figures, is often framed as free expression by their supporters – individuals who appear friendly in public but are part of a network that disparages their opponents. What is even more concerning is that the National Media Commission, which is responsible for regulating the media and enforcing the nation’s media laws, operates like a toothless bulldog, managed by individuals with political ties. The police, whose senior members are appointed by the current government, are among the worst offenders. They serve as accomplices to media lawlessness, turning a blind eye while media commentators manipulate public perception and fuel rivalry and tension within the nation.
The use of law enforcement agencies and resources by past and current governments against their political opponents has significantly eroded freedom of expression within the nation’s democratic framework. For the sake of political gain and self-preservation, media laws have been transformed into mere suggestions rather than strict regulations. This has further encouraged individuals to carry out harmful agendas without accountability. The era of Cameron Duodu, when journalists demonstrated flair and articulate expression on pressing national issues and policies, has faded, replaced by media representatives who lack knowledge.
From a functionalist perspective, the media serves as a valuable tool for society. It is a medium through which information is shared, and nations are built by exchanging ideas. The media provides a platform for contesting various viewpoints regarding the collective good and the development of both nations and their citizens. It plays a crucial role in challenging official narratives, thereby holding leaders accountable. Additionally, it helps unite communities by countering extreme ideologies and supremacist sentiments that could threaten the cohesion of nations and communities.
The solution to the media menace will ultimately require change. For many politicians, both in government and opposition, the media serves as a shortcut to power. Therefore, fighting against or banning insults would be counterproductive, akin to cutting off their noses to spite their faces. Despite their public display of proficiency in English, which they equate with ability and merit, most politicians lack a deep understanding of the complex issues facing the nation, let alone the skills to address them. Resorting to insults, often accompanied by veiled threats, is their only strategy to maintain power, however tenuous it may be.
Our democracy and the freedom of expression it provides are among the worst I have observed in my study of the nation’s history since independence. Unless there is a reconsideration of how free speech is handled in media and beyond, the nation, once regarded by the international community as a model of tolerance, will continue to lose its shine as a beacon of hope – especially in postcolonial and democratic Africa. Given the current class of leaders steering the affairs of the nation, I am not optimistic about this change.
By Sir Charles Chindove.
