Former Chief Executive Officer of Graphic Communications Group Limited, Dr Ken Ashigbey, has called for stronger measures to distinguish professional journalists from individuals he describes as charlatans posing as media practitioners.
He says efforts to provide financial support to the media industry must be accompanied by measures that promote professionalism, accountability and responsible journalism.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday, Dr Ashigbey supported a proposal by the Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission, George Sarpong, for the development of an index to track journalistic work and assess professional standards.
He argued that the proposed system should help identify and reward journalists who demonstrate responsibility and consistently report on issues relevant to national development.
“We need to find a way in which we separate the charlatans who are just pretending to be media practitioners from those who are actually doing the media job,” he said.
Dr Ashigbey added that media support should be directed towards practitioners who have demonstrated their commitment to issues of national importance.
His comments come after President John Dramani Mahama announced GH¢10 million in the 2027 national budget as seed funding for the Media Development Fund.
The reactivated fund is expected to support journalists' welfare, professional development, investigative reporting, digital literacy and safety training.
Dr Ashigbey maintained that while self-regulation was necessary to address unprofessional conduct, the industry also needed sustainable structures to enable media organisations to operate effectively.
“We need to do that, but we also need to put in place the systems that will let media businesses thrive,” he said.
He called for experienced media management professionals to play a central role in developing such structures.
The former Graphic Communications Group boss also raised concerns about the issuance of broadcast licences, arguing that the current approach needed to be reviewed.
“The issues where we are issuing out TV licenses like Confetti are things that we need to deal with,” he said.
He cautioned that restrictions on the reach and operations of media organisations could undermine their ability to build the capacity required for effective journalism.
On the management of the Media Development Fund, Dr Ashigbey proposed a lean administrative structure supported by technology and supervised by a broadly constituted board.
He said the arrangement would promote transparency in the distribution of resources, attract additional funding and ensure that beneficiaries demonstrate both financial need and professional responsibility.
He further cautioned against making the fund the media industry's primary source of revenue, stressing the importance of creating an environment where private media businesses can remain commercially viable while contributing to public interest journalism.
According to him, media entrepreneurs must be given the opportunity to establish sustainable businesses that create employment, pay workers adequately and contribute to national development.
Addressing calls for legislation to regulate the conditions of media workers, Dr Ashigbey said legal provisions alone would not resolve the industry's structural and financial challenges.
“But definitely, this bill alone is not going to solve the problem of a responsible, sustainable media entity,” he cautioned.
