The National Media Commission (NMC) on Wednesday cautioned Ghanaian Journalists against poor work that disregarded the professional code of ethics and whipped up demands for the use of extra-legal means to control the press.

The NMC noted: “While this must be unacceptable to democratically minded citizens, the increasing evidence is that it is possible in Ghana if we do not work hard to obviate it.”

The NMC position was stated at a press conference addressed by its Chairman, Mr. Paul Adu-Gyamfi to highlight current issues of national concern relating to press freedom and their permissible limitations.

The commission called on media practitioners, Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and all free expression advocates to join forces to wipe out the practice of yellow journalism.

The Commission said: “In recent months, there have been attacks on some Journalists, which led the GJA to threaten, quite understandably, to drag to court anybody who attacked a journalist.

“While we all condemn such attacks, it is important for us to realise the truth that the attacks are some people’s warped response to what they consider as unprofessional behaviour of journalists”, Mr. Adu-Gyamfi stated.

"We are beginning to lose the public trust and that significant constituencies, who supported our struggle for freedom and independence are gradually beginning to re-examine their support for the media.

"In fact, part of the public apathy towards our call for a Freedom of Information Act is the emerging fear that the media would abuse it...we should be careful not to undermine from within, what we set out to achieve from without," the NMC stated.

The Commission appealed to the public, especially those offended by the media to use democratically acceptable methods of dealing with media infractions.

It stated: "The democracy that enables you to express yourself freely, including expression of dissatisfaction with the media, is sustained in part by the media...and it is the same media that give you the opportunity to vent your deepest frustrations against others including the media."

In the pursuit of the NMC's effort to promote objective journalism in the country, the commission would in December organise a national conference to address all concerns relating to the role of the media in national development.

The conference would also be used as a platform to discuss, media professionalism and standards, lack of resources and the passage of the Freedom of Information Act.
Source: GNA