When one is a statesman, that position calms him or her and so when novices (in the American parlance, Political Neophytes) take advantage of one’s position to insult him or her, like Peace FM is doing to His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama, he remains silent and says nothing because he is a statesman.
Statesmen, all over the world, including national political leaders, elders/leaders of political parties, Diplomats etc, are all measured in their responses and speeches, especially when in public or on political platforms.
Ever since I heard Peace FM’s apology to the former President, I have been thinking whether to say something, because from experience, I know the former President was not going to do anything about it because of his statesmanship position.
Again, I thought some of these stories are a disgrace to the Journalism profession and as a Journalist, who holds dear the Journalism profession, I would like to at least point out certain facts which are ethically not in good taste to the Editorial Board of Peace FM.
Before I point out where the Editors of Peace MF went wrong, I will like to distinguish the types of Journalists we have in Ghana today, for the Ghanaian public to understand the kind of Journalists they have.
Currently in the country, we have three (3) types of Journalists,
- Journalists with the right training from recognized institutions,
- Those from ‘mushroom’ Journalism institutions in the country with a few years ‘on the job training’ and
- Those who have joined Media Houses without any Journalism training but have either a voice for Radio or have the flair for writing and by sheer luck, gets employed and are referred to as ‘on the job trained’ Journalists.
I have no doubt in my mind, Peace FM has all three types of Journalists working in the establishment and some have found themselves in management positions and involved in the day-to-day running of the Newsroom.
Every Editorial Board in a Media House, discusses assignments presented by the News Editor at Editorial Conference before Reporters are told what to look out for when they go to town.
No Reporter, without discussing his or her assignment with the News Editor, goes ‘to town’ to do a story unless he or she is a Freelance Journalist working on his or her own and this is where I find the apology rendered by Peace FM very disgraceful, coming from a Media House that hypes itself as a leading media house in the country.
Before going ‘to town’ to do the ‘Pop news’, what document or statement did Peace FM had, alleged to have come from the former President, where and when was the statement made or issued, at what function and who delivered the speech or the statement, since the former President has no knowledge of it, according Peace FM.
Considering the importance or the position of the former President, this was what the Peace FM’s News Editor and the Editorial Board should have discussed before sending their Reporters to Kumasi to do the damage they wanted.
For Peace FM to do this kind of Pop News and as per their apology, there was no discussion on the story by any of their senior Editors before letting out their Reporters to disgrace themselves.
No Editor, worth his salt, enjoys having to apologize for a story because it tarnishes the image of the Media House and also dents the reputation of the Editor. It looks like Editors of Peace FM don’t take their reputation seriously but take pride in doing these kinds of stories and apologizing afterwards.
Unfortunately, because the NPP is in power, Mr. Kwame Despite doesn’t see the harm such stories, by his Editors, do to his company but in future, when there is a change in Government, he will see what those ill-conceived stories have done to his company.
His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, in every sense of the word, is a statesman, and will always act as such. Ghanaians will at all times see him as a very honorable leader, who will never utter the words Peace FM is associating with him.
Source – Jojo Bruce-Quansah
jojobrucequansah@gmail.com
