Graphic, Times give more coverage to NPP

Page 31: June 17, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Daily Graphic and The Ghanaian Times gave more news coverage and more news space to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) than the opposition political parties.
In a report issued by the Centre for Media Analysis and Research covering a survey it conducted between January 2007 and March 2008, it said the NPP was given the highest news coverage of 48 per cent, followed by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) with 25.4 per cent, with the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), the Democratic People’s Party (DPP), the United Renaissance Party (URP) and the Reformed Patriotic Democrats (RPD) receiving the least coverage of 1.1; 0.3; 03 and 0.1 per cent, respectively, by the Daily Graphic.
It said The Ghanaian Times also gave the NPP the highest news coverage of 48.6 per cent, followed by the NDC with 26.8 per cent, while the GCPP, DPP, URP, RPD and the United Love Party (ULP) received the least coverage.
In terms of space allotment, the research revealed that the Daily Graphic gave the highest news space coverage of 69 per cent to the NPP, while the NDC and the Convention People’s Party (CPP) got 15 and 10 per cent, respectively.
“Similarly, The Ghanaian Times also gave the highest news space to the NPP with 50 per cent; NDC, 25 per cent, and the CPP, 16 per cent, while the People’s National Convention (PNC) and the GCPP got six and one per cent space allotment, respectively,” it said.
The report said the findings supported the view that the state-owned print media could be giving more coverage to the NPP in terms of news story coverage and space allotment.
In addition, it said the research findings confirmed that the state-owned print media could be “unfair” to opposition political parties in terms of news story distribution and news space allotment.
It said a review of the research results suggested that the constitutional provisions under Article 55 (11 and 12) and Article 163 were not adhered to by the Daily Graphic and The Ghanaian Times in their news coverage and news space distribution to political parties from January 2007 to March 2008.
“To some extent, one is inclined to suggest that the constitutional provision enjoining state-owned media to give equal opportunity and fair access to political parties remains a myth and at the discretion of the state-owned media,” it noted.
It, however, conceded that in spite of the “unfair” coverage of the opposition parties by the state-owned media, the trend of the reportage could be as a result of inactive political parties, ineffective engagement of the state-owned print media by the opposition parties and the lack of effective media strategies by opposition parties’ communication departments.
“The state-owned media cannot be blamed in totality. Rather, political party activities should be critically correlated with state-owned media engagements,” it said.
It reminded political parties that the state-owned media were not supposed to generate political party activity news but to cover political party activities and programmes.
“This research finding should serve as a pointer to all political parties that not until they actively engage the state-owned print media in their party engagements to make the constitutional provisions a reality, it will forever remain a constitutional myth,” it noted.
It advised the state-owned media to offer fair coverage to all the registered political parties and presidential hopefuls, especially in the electioneering year, to avoid political conflicts to ensure successful elections.
The report urged the Daily Graphic and The Ghanaian Times to institute an internal monitoring mechanism to ensure that all political parties were accorded equal and fair coverage.
Reacting to the findings, the Editor of the Daily Graphic, Mr Ransford Tetteh, said he welcomed the study because it provided information regarding how the newspaper was serving its readers.
“As the people making the path, we may not be able to determine whether we are on the right path, particularly with regard to the constitutional charge on us to provide fair coverage for all political parties,” he said.
Mr Tetteh said, however, that he had a problem with the study because it was conducted at a time when about 18 people were seeking the flag bearer slot of the NPP and all of them were traversing the length and breadth of the country. It was imperative, therefore, for the Daily Graphic to cover their activities to give them the opportunity to sell their messages to members of their party.
He said his other problem was with the definition of ‘political season’ in the study and noted that to him the ‘political season’ began when all the political parties had filed the nominations of their candidates with the Electoral Commission.
Mr Tetteh, who is also the President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), said the Daily Graphic was mindful of its obligations to the people of Ghana and would not let them down.
He said the Daily Graphic was the only newspaper which assigned a reporter to each of the presidential candidates in 2004 and said management had already made the pledge to do same this year.
“Our doors are open and all political parties should feel free to knock at it and their messages will be carried to the electorate,” he assured the parties.