The Minister for Information-designate, Fatimatu Abubakar, has called for significant improvements in the economic and living conditions of media practitioners.

While acknowledging the predominance of private ownership of the media sector in Ghana, she said practitioners need to be remunerated appropriately.

Speaking on the AM Show on Joy TV, on Friday, February 16, Mrs. Abubakar also highlighted the importance of scrutinising media performance indicators, which she said were previously underestimated.

She said a closer look at the indicators reveals underlying challenges confronting the media in Ghana.

According to the incoming Information Minister, the media landscape has significantly evolved over the past three decades, moving from a controlled system with a few TV and radio stations, to a more open structure following the 1992 Constitution.

Mrs. Abubakar stated that this change has led to a proliferation of media outlets, with over 700 registered electronic media entities now in existence.

“Some research from the School of Communication and other stakeholders within the fraternity says we have so many media houses that are not sustainable. If you look at the ones that have been established, sometimes about 30 collapses within six months, so we have not been able to score above 50 when it comes to economic restructuring.”

She pointed out that Ghana lags behind some countries like Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea, as well as others in the West African sub-region, in certain respects.

“I remember when the first scoring under the new indicators came. There was a stakeholder meeting for us to look at how we could deal with the situation.

“You have Niger, with about 15 radio and TV stations nationwide. You have Guinea with eight stations. The proliferation of media entities is part of the problem..,” She said.