The Ghanaian government has expressed its openness to receiving financial support and capacity enhancement programs from international organizations aimed at assisting media houses in the country. This announcement comes in light of recent research conducted by the University of Ghana, which revealed that 30% of electronic media houses in Ghana collapse within six months of their establishment due to financial constraints. Madam Fatimatu Abubakar, the Information Minister-Designate, highlighted various challenges facing media houses, including declining advertising orders, competition from digital platforms, low public trust due to media capture by politicians, and misinformation.
Madam Abubakar welcomed the upcoming opening of the African Regional Office of the International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM) in Accra, which is expected to provide financial support to media outlets in Ghana. The government has already allocated office space for IFPIM, currently undergoing renovation and is set to be commissioned soon. The establishment of this office will enable media houses to apply for financial support to enhance their operations and promote media freedom in Ghana.
These remarks were made during a visit by a delegation from the Deutsche Welle Academy, a German centre for international media development and journalism training, to the Ministry of Information in Accra. The delegation aimed to understand how Ghana is positioning its media space to address global dynamics, including artificial intelligence, and enhance capacity enhancement programs for media practitioners.
Despite the presence of over 700 registered radio stations and 100 active television stations nationwide, Madam Abubakar acknowledged the difficulty for media outlets to sustain their operations, particularly regarding staff remuneration. However, she highlighted government interventions over the past two years, including media capacity enhancement programs, training in media ethics, the safety of journalists, and campaigns against misinformation and disinformation.
Ms. Natascha Schwanke, Director of Media Development at Deutsche Welle Academy, highlighted their efforts in Ghana since 2018, focusing on media information literacy, policy implementation projects, and support for investigative journalism. Additionally, the Academy provides training in media information literacy for both media practitioners and audiences to ensure quality dissemination of information and enhance proper analysis to prevent the spread of falsehoods.