The shame of a profession

If for instance, they have heard something from the postman, they attribute it to a “semi-official” statement. If they have fallen into conversation with a stranger at a bar, they can conscientiously describe him as “a source that has hitherto proved unimpeachable”. It is only when the journalist is reporting a whim of his own, and one to which he attaches minor importance, that he defines it as the opinion of “well-informed circles”

Evelyn Waugh.

Journalism has never been a profession of fan-fare neither is it an all comers affair but sadly enough, it has been a ground where unemployed army of youths pitch their tent. It’s due to its perilous nature that it’s likened to the sword and even said to be mightier. It is little wonder that literature writers and illiterates have found their way into the profession, especially in Ghana with few honest men among them. Haven practiced in Ghana for years, before going on transfer as a member of this fourth estate of the realm, its an appalling knowledge to be told that the number of quacks has increased in the country, especially in Accra.

The above quote by Evelyn Waugh is a replica of what happens in Ghanaian Journalism, with connivance from the state council, led by senior editors, a globetrotting journalist, with the state  owned media house. 

The pen profession I left in Ghana can best be described as public relation agencies, who write basically to make ends meet. Now how do I mean? I hate journalism where names are withheld, except names of sources, as such; I’m going to mention names. It is a common knowledge that a member of the Ghana  Journalist Association must possess a media certificate from a recognized Tertiary institution. It’s an undisputed fact that its only graduates of Theatre Arts, Communication Arts and Mass Communication certificate holder that can be said to have a background of the media profession. This is the crux of the matter in Ghana (narrowed down to Accra) that 85 percent of journalists do not possess any of this certificate, even from a college of education.

Yet insulting it is to the union that they all have valid GJA identity card. In a bid to unravel how they came about parading the ID card, investigation reveals that during the last Ghana Journalists Association election, the incumbent vice chairman, who was then an aspirant took various names to the head quartes, ID cards emerged which validated them to vote for him.

The media practitioners in Ghana can be likened to parliament of vultures, a market place where poor written stories are sold to the highest bidder. This is a state where assignments are a call to eat the national cake, with a minister ready to dole out millions after every press briefing. 

 

As the Affail Money's led executives’ moves to sanitize the industry, there will be no better place to start from than Accra, beginning with the private media, and until this is done, we can all bid goodbye to this noble profession in the Ghana.