A Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana's Department of Communication Studies, says although the 1992 Constitution makes provision for media pluralism where varying voices or opinions are welcome, it does not manifest in reality.

Dr Abena Animwaa Yeboah-Banin says the Ghanaian media rather pretends to practice media pluralism.

Backing her claim, the lecturer explained that the media is filled with politics and political voices, saying that 2018 data shows that at least a third of the country’s media spaces are owned by individuals who are highly politically exposed or connected.

This, she argues makes it easy for politicians to control the operations of the media.

Dr Yeboah-Banin is therefore worried that many of the talk shows on radio and on television go in the direction of partisan politics. Consequently, the voices of others are being shut in the process.

“Is the Ghanaian media presenting us the opportunity for this dream that the framers of the constitution had when they were putting in those guarantees? I’m not too sure that we have and I think that there are a few other people out there who would agree with me that we don’t. What appears to be the case rather is what looks like a media pluralism façade; something that looks like we have media pluralism but in reality, it’s actually no right.”

“On the political capture, anybody who is watching the Ghanaian media still would see that actually there’s a lot of politics and political voices in our media. Indeed, data from 2018 records that as much as a third of Ghana’s media is owned by individuals who are highly politically exposed or connected.

"So there’s a lot of access and control from the political side of this country into our media and that being the case, then other voices are being drowned out and so little wonder that when you turn on the radio everywhere, even the TV, a lot of the contents, what is being spoken about turns to be dealing in partisan politics,” she said on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday.

Another reason why the Ghanaian media is rather practising media façade according to Dr Yeboah-Banin is the trend towards media empire building.

Citing a 2023 report on the state of the Ghanaian media, the lecturer said their findings reveal that there is a tendency trend toward media conglomeration where media companies are on a spree of acquiring numerous frequencies and seeking to take on “the throne for empire-building.”

She remarks that such conduct is resulting in the concentration of media power into the hands of a few.

According to her, some media companies have acquired about 10 to 17 broadcasting networks. Consequently, fewer voices have access and power within the media space, she said.

These networks, she laments ought to be distributed such that there is diversity in the media.

The lecturer, therefore, wonders if the country really is close to attaining the level where media pluralism is actually a practice.