The Joy Brands of the Multimedia Group is set to hold a national dialogue on press freedom today, Thursday, August 29, as the nation prepares for general elections in December.

The dialogue, themed ‘Defending Media Freedom,’ will bring together key stakeholders, including government officials, journalists, and regulators, to discuss strategies that would ensure the press in Ghana is genuinely free to carry out its mandate.

According to the annual Press Freedom Index report, Ghana has experienced a sharp decline in media freedom.

About a decade ago, Ghana ranked among the top 30 countries globally for press freedom, scoring above 80%, which earned it an “A” grade and placed it as the third-best in Africa, after Namibia and Cabo Verde.

At that time, Ghana's press freedom was described as “Satisfactory.”

However, over the past three years, a series of challenges have emerged, worsening press freedom in the country.

These challenges have made the environment for journalism, and for the public's right to reliable, independent, and diverse news and information, increasingly difficult.

According to the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), journalists have faced threats, arrests, detentions, and even torture from state agencies, including the police, military, and political operatives.

Political attacks on press freedom, such as the suppression of independent media outlets and the widespread dissemination of misinformation, have also intensified.

In light of these issues, the Joy Brands of the Multimedia Group believes it is urgent to address the theme and emphasize that media freedom is critical to the nation's democracy.

A total of 21 panelists have been scheduled to speak at the event, including investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, JoyNews’ Samson Lardy Anyenini, Inspector General of Police Dr. George Dampare, and MFWA’s Sulemana Braimah.

Other speakers include Dr. Serebour Quaicoe of the Electoral Commission, Information Minister Fatimatu Abubakar, Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, and several others.

The dialogue will take place at the GNAT Hall, Thursday, August 29, starting at 4 pm. It will also be broadcast live on JoyNews TV and streamed on its social media platforms.