Renowned Lawyer and lecturer, Ernest Kofi Abotsi shared valuable insights with a select number of media persons who participated in MTN Ghana’s Bright Story Series.

The series was organised to empower participants in the area of development communication and journalism.

Addressing participants at the virtual forum on the theme “The Media And The Law’, Lawyer Abotsi took participants through several topics regarding the legal and regulatory framework of media practice in Ghana.

It included the 1992 Constitution, The Whistle Blower Act, Censorship Laws And Abolishment, The Right To Information Law, Electronic Communications Act and a host of many others.  

He also touched on the legal framework governing online and social media space.

Mr Abotsi also spent a lot of time explaining how the relevant portions of the law that guarantees Media freedom and media rights as well as the freedom of expression. 

Commenting on the laws governing the digital world, he explained “when you publish a content that is defamatory on the internet the laws on defamation apply.

The twist to it is that any other persons who circulating the publication can be sued for defamation.

He, therefore, advised all media consumers to be cautious in forwarding information without verifying it.

Nana Kwasi Gyan Apenteng, the immediate past chairman of the National Media Commission who was a guest at the forum made contributions to bring clarity to the roles of the Commission and the laws that govern its operations.

Mr Sam Koranteng, Corporate Services Executive, MTN Ghana, who is also a Lawyer said that the idea behind the engagement with media professionals was to impart the requisite skills needed to aid the practice of journalism in these modern times.  

He indicated that MTN will continue to invest in seminars aimed at enhancing the professional capabilities of the media.

“This year’s BRIGHT series had a focus on the law in journalism practice because we realized over the years it is an area that most journalists need a refresher course in.

"We also considered it as our contribution to ensuring that we have a well informed and formidable media sector in Ghana”, Georgina Asare Fiagbenu, Senior Manager for Corporate Communication at MTN Ghana said.

The Bright Story Series is an initiative by MTN Ghana aimed at resourcing practicing journalists with additional and requisite knowledge that will facilitate the practice of sound journalism in Ghana.

The workshop, which began in 2017 has trained over 300 journalists across the country.