Human-rights reporting and the Ghanaian press : pro-active rights reporting and its potential for human-rights growth

The following report is an attempt to assess the degree to which human-rights reporting in the Ghanaian Media actively promotes and addresses human-rights issues. This assessment draws upon both quantitative and qualitative study, as well as communication theory including agenda setting. Ghana serves as an example of a country striving to establish a free press and in many rights is achieving this goal. Ghana makes a compelling case study for a number of reasons, the most important being that the country’s press continuously grows and changes. New papers, including one weekly only focusing on human-rights issues, are sprouting up. While the government owns the largest two circulating papers, the independent press has emerged as a strong counter to these papers. Papers like The Ghanaian Chronicle and the Accra Daily Mail have high readerships. One can find in excess of 15 newspapers in Accra, as well as a growing berth of radio stations. The press is thriving. Over the years in Ghana, since it gained its independence in 1957, human-rights abuses have occurred with some frequency. The National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) of Ghana examines these abuses, and allows Ghanaians to come forward and tell their stories. It serves to create a record of violations of human-rights inflicted over the years. In and of itself, the NRC provides a step towards rectifying committed abuses, and preventing future ones. A recent publication produced by the Ghana Journalists Association brought to light the importance of media coverage about such issues, as well as the process and significance of the NRC. Previous literature indicates undeniable press ability to affect pressing matters like human-rights. However, the Ghanaian Press, like all media, must rely on consumer demands, which in Ghana largely revolve around politics. General knowledge of human-rights issues is low, and the press often does little to increase this knowledge. The extent to which human-rights reporting exists in Ghana is changing, but at a marginally slow pace. If expanded, press coverage could lead to a great improvement in the protection and enforcement of human-rights. The press can play a large role in the development of any society. This thesis posits that the amount of human-rights reporting in Ghana can directly affect the degree to which human-rights are respected. A pro-active approach to addressing human-rights issues in the press can change Ghanaians’ awareness of what their rights are – and then, an eventual change in to the level in which these rights are enforcedJournalis