In recent years, Ghana’s media landscape has become tarnished sensationalism, misinformation, and partisan bias. What caused this gradual shift? What are the causes and consequences of this trend and how can it be reversed?
Examining ‘Sensation’
Sensuality is its use excessive, emotional or provocative language and images; to attract attention and influence public opinion. It often involves distorting or omitting facts, appealing to prejudices and fears, and creating controversy or scandal.
Sensationalism is not a new phenomenon in the Ghanaian media, but has become more prevalent and pervasive in the digital age.
Sensationalism poses certain challenges and risks for the media industry. One of these challenges is its use exaggerated, misleading or emotional headlines; and content to attract attention and generate clicks.
Sensationalism is not a new phenomenon in journalism, but it has been enhanced by the emergence of social networking platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube.
These platforms allow anyone to create and share content with millions of people, without any editorial oversight or ethical standards. They also reward content that creates more engagementsuch as likes, comments and shares, regardless of their quality or accuracy.
Platform X launched a revenue sharing model which rewards premium users with a payment if they achieve a certain number of impressions. This incentivizes users to “mine“impressions on their posted posts”controversial” and sometimes misleading posts to boost the numbers.
This has also created a competitive and lucrative environment for media, news “influencers” and journalistswho are under pressure to produce more content, faster and cheaper, to keep up with the demand and expectations of their audiences.
In this context, sensationalism becomes a tempting strategy attract more eyeballs and revenueat the expense of reliability and professionalism.
This has led to:
- The erosion of public trust and confidence in the media as people become more skeptical and cynical about the information they consume.
- Its spread misinformation and misinformation
- Distortion of public discourse and opinion, as shocking content it appeals to emotions than reason, and creates polarization and division between different groups and communities.
- The marginalization of important and relevant issues such as development, governance, human rights and social justice, which are overshadowed by sensational issues such as scandals, controversies, and celebrities.
Some media in the country are belong to or are associated with political parties or actorscompromising their independence and objectivity.
Often, the political leanings of owners can influence the editorial stance of news outlets, leading to a slant in coverage that aligns with their personal or corporate interests.
This can manifest itself in a number of ways, from selecting stories to cover, framing topics, and even omitting certain facts or perspectives.
The consequences of media politicization are far-reaching. He undermines the role of the press as “Fourth Estate”, a watchdog for democracy, and erodes public trust in media institutions.
It also hinders informed decision-making among the population, as people may not have access to unbiased information necessary to make educated judgments about political issues.
Combating “sensationalism”
To curb sensationalism and promote responsible journalism in Ghana, several measures are needed. First, there should be more regulation and self-regulation of the media industry, with clear codes of conduct and penalties for violations.
Second, there should be more education and training for journalists and media professionals, with a focus on ethics, standards and professionalism.
Third, there should be more public awareness and media literacy campaigns, with an emphasis on critical thinking, fact-checking and citizen participation.
Fourth, there should be more support and incentives for media that produce quality and reliable journalism, with an emphasis on public service, diversity and accountability.
The issue of sensationalism in the Ghanaian media is a multifaceted challenge that requires concerted effort by all stakeholders. With the monetization of “sensationalism,” especially on social media, it will be hard to contain “obscene” news and to separate the real news from the sensational.
However, the media and journalists must continue to uphold ethical standards, the public to demand accountability, and leaders to create an environment that supports responsible journalism.
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