Discussion with Amos Safo: Media Environment and the Spread of Misleading News
The 2022 World Press Freedom Index underscores the detrimental impact of misinformation stemming from a globally unregulated digital information sphere that engenders the proliferation of fake news and propaganda.
Annually, this index, published by Reporters Without Borders, scrutinizes the state of journalism across 180 countries and territories, providing a global assessment of press freedom.
The new methodology employed for the 2022 edition defines press freedom as the journalist's ability to autonomously choose, produce, and disseminate news that benefits the public interest. This autonomy should exist independently of political, economic, legal, and social influences, ensuring the journalists' safety is not compromised.
In many African countries, including Ghana, journalists are afforded the liberty to select, produce, and disseminate news. However, a growing issue lies in the bias that often characterizes these news reports, serving political, economic, and commercial agendas instead of the public's best interest.
The lack of credibility among Ghana's media outlets is a significant concern, as they continue to serve biased news akin to the 'Fox News-isation' of journalism, according to the 2022 World Press Freedom Index. This situation can be partly attributed to the consolidation and commercialization of media by businessmen and politicians.
Ghanaian journalism has reached alarming dimensions, with some journalists and media organizations aligning themselves with political and commercial causes. In several instances, broadcasters have propagated venom against opposing political figures, encouraging militaristic coups.
The 2022 edition of the World Press Freedom Index emphasizes that "opinion media" is eroding journalistic credibility and standards across the globe. In Ghana, journalism has become deeply entangled in political and commercial interests, posing a severe threat to democratic harmony and tolerant public discourse.
The report also highlights that divisions are burgeoning even among democratic states, with the spread of opinion media resembling the 'Fox TV News model' and the amplification of disinformation circuits that exploit the working of social media platforms. World democracies are increasingly being weakened by the asymmetry between open societies and authoritarian regimes that control their media and online platforms while waging propaganda wars against them.
'Fox News-isation' of the media refers to the rise of opinion-driven journalism over credible and professional news reporting. Fox TV, a leading American television news channel, serves as an ardent supporter of the Republican Party and controversial policies, often verging on racism, xenophobia, and human rights abuses.
The blending of opinions and facts within journalism conceals behind the principle of objective news but serves to persuade rather than inform. In many cases, the line between facts and opinions has become virtually indistinguishable across all media platforms, according to the World Press Freedom Index.
The report also emphasizes that media polarization is exacerbating internal social divisions in democracies, such as the United States and France. The escalating political and social tension is fueled by social media and opinion media, particularly in France. The suppression of independent media is contributing to a sharp polarization in illiberal democracies, where authorities have consolidated their control over public broadcasting and aimed to 're-Polonize' privately-owned media.
The lack of press freedom in authoritarian countries, such as the Middle East, continues to escalate the conflict between Israel, Palestine, and the Arab states. These countries not only suppress their citizens' right to information but also create media weaponry that amplifies international tensions.
Social media is revolutionizing the global media landscape, reshaping mass communications and providing cheap access to content production and sharing. However, this new medium raises several ethical and moral issues within the contemporary media ecosystem, with its content missing the professional journalism style, lacking strict control, and potentially influencing daily life.
Fake news, a longstanding issue in political communications research, has become a widespread concern due to the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation on social media. The exploratory use of fake news in political communications dates back over a century, and it currently describes false stories spreading rapidly across social media. Some critics argue that social media is indispensable for free and fair elections, but there is equal cause for concern about its ability to undermine the integrity of elections and democracy.
Despite its moral and ethical consequences, social media is argued to foster greater public participation in the democratic process, particularly in countries where other democratic spaces have been restricted or minimized. Social media is increasingly responsible for a dip in audience shares of traditional news networks, as alternative news media sources such as websites, weblogs, and citizen journalism gain popularity.
The widespread dissemination of fake news raises questions concerning the conceptualization of real news. News is often considered an output of journalism, a profession expected to provide accurate, comprehensive, and independent information for the public's well-informed decision-making. However, the ethical standards of journalism have been compromised due to partisanship and personal gain, distorting the news landscape.
One recent example of this distortion was the manipulation of a photo of the President of Ghana and a certain lady to portray a baseless romantic affair, violating the norms of traditional journalism. This alteration not only reflects the erosion of established ethical standards but also poses questions about the extent to which such actions can be considered a breach of press freedom.
In conclusion, the commercialization of news in Ghana creates a delicate balance: while it provides essential financial sustenance for media organizations, it also compromises press freedom by incentivizing biased, sensational, or compromised reporting. This environment undermines the media's credibility, as audiences increasingly perceive news outlets as serving commercial or political interests rather than the public's best interests. Addressing these challenges necessitates stronger regulatory frameworks and renewed commitment to journalistic ethics and independence.
- In the 2022 World Press Freedom Index report, the erosion of journalistic credibility is attributed to the prevalence of 'opinion media' that prioritizes personal opinions over factual news.
- The commercialization of media in Ghana has stirred debates, as it provides financial support but also encourages biased, sensational reporting that may not serve the public's best interest.
- The blurred line between facts and opinions in Ghanaian media is a concerning issue, as it can conceal the principle of objective news and instead serve to persuade rather than inform.
- The World Press Freedom Index for 2022 underlines the need for stronger regulatory frameworks and a renewed commitment to journalistic ethics and independence to safeguard press freedom and maintain credible news reporting.
