The Multimedia Group Limited has paid a courtesy call on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo-Dampare.

This was to officially invite him to the first of its two-part National Media Dialogues on Defending Media Freedom, in preparation for the December 7 elections.

The Multimedia Group delegation, led by Chief Operating Officer Ken Ansah, included General Manager for Joy Brands, Fiifi Koomson, Senior News Editor and Head of the JoyNews Political Desk, Evans Mensah, Co-Host of the Super Morning Show, Winston Amoah, and Coordinator for Strategic Partnerships and Projects for Joy Brands, Emefa Ewoenam Atiamoah-Eli.

The delegation was received by the IGP and leadership of the Ghana Police Service. Welcoming the delegation, the IGP called on the Multimedia Group to enhance its gatekeeping role within the media landscape to prevent a few individuals from misusing the airwaves to further their selfish interests.

Dr. Akuffo-Dampare emphasised that the media "must find ways of pricing out some of these few people from the airwaves to discourage them from overshadowing the resourcefulness of the larger population with their loud and ill-motives."

He also advised the media not to feel pressured to adhere strictly to the principle of "when it bleeds, it leads," as this approach may not always promote fair and balanced reporting.

Ghana, once a beacon of press freedom in Africa, has seen a significant decline in media freedom, as evidenced by the country's drop from 30th place in 2021 to 62nd place in 2023 on the World Press Freedom Index.

This decline, coupled with the rise of disinformation and misinformation, particularly as the 2024 elections approach, poses a serious threat to democracy and public trust in the media.

To address these challenges, the Multimedia Group is organizing the National Media Freedom Dialogue Series through its Joy and Adom brands.

These dialogues, conducted in both English and Akan, aim to mobilize stakeholders to restore and safeguard media freedom in Ghana.

The first dialogue, led by JoyNews, is scheduled for Thursday, August 29th, 2024, at GNAT Hall in Accra and will be broadcast live on multiple platforms. The second, led by Adom, will take place in Kumasi in September.

During the visit, Ken Ansah thanked the IGP and the Police Service for their tireless efforts in ensuring law and order as well us their continuous support for the media.

He expressed optimism that this strong relationship would continue, particularly during a critical election year like this one.

Ken Ansah also highlighted the need for police support to ensure the safety of journalists and third parties, especially during live election coverage.

Dr. Akuffo-Dampare commended The Multimedia Group for the initiative and pledged the Police Service's support in ensuring a peaceful election.