Slogans are words or phrases used by politicians and organizations for advertisement purposes.
Joy FM in this case is not left out. They as a matter of fact claiming to be Independent, Fearless and Credible.
It’s very imperative for me to analyze the three words for the public and I to judge if all they are saying about themselves are reality on the ground. I will take them one after the other by highlighting some of their conducts and compare them with what they are claiming to represent.
To start with, Joy FM is an independent organization and a private entity which government has no control over them.
They are really independent organization that decide on what to do or not without fear or favour. The employees are paid based on their Internal Generated Fund (IGF) but not government coffers so they do things that please them but not the public.
There’s no way you will compel them to telecast what you think the public is hungry to hear. You can have many problems about what they put out as news headlines but can’t stop them from doing so. You can only change the channel to other but can’t stop them from putting out whatever you disagreed with to the public domain.
They are really independent and must be accepted by all.
Secondly, their assertion to be fearless can be true based on the following. Multimedia is the most notorious organization that doesn’t fear anything whether it will go against them or not. They are capable of throwing allegations to the public domain about people most especially politicians without authenticating such allegations. They are sometimes stubborn not to retract and render an apology for feeding the public with fake news.
Their ultimate goal is to be the first to break any news coming from individuals most especially the leadership of the opposition National Democratic Congress. They are only hiding behind article 162(1, 2, 3) of the 1992 constitution destroying the reputations of people with wide allegations.
They are only interested in the clauses (1, 2, 3) of article 162 and leaving out clause (4) which talks about responsibilities of journalists or media.
The most annoying aspect is that there are some so-called Human Rights activists who will be on the fence defending them without considering the damages they have caused to the one they have peddle falsehood about. There are many allegations leveled against people by Multimedia without any concrete evidence to buttress/support them. Some of these allegations are based on only hearsay but will be carried out as news headline for the public to consume.
Multimedia fear less about the aftermath of what they put out there about people simply because there’s a press freedom enshrined in the 1992 constitution.
On this note multimedia is really fearless about what they report concerning individuals and institutions.
In addition, Joy FM is claiming to be credible. Yes they are because it’s only a fool that will call him/herself a bad name. Let’s consider the following instances and see whether they are credible or not.
On the 6th of March 2019, a day Ghanaians gathered at the capital town of the Northern Region to be precise Tamale to take part in a historical event and the first of its kind since independent. That was the first time Independence Day celebration has been celebrated outside Accra and supposed to be a great news for discussion for at least a week. Ghanaians woke up on the following day waiting to hear the pros and cons as well as the economic benefits of the Independence Day celebration in Tamale.
Surprisingly, Multimedia has decided to cover that great news with a so-called *”Militia in the Heart of The Nation”* from Manasseh Azure.
They have successfully killed that great news prematurely with that frivolous documentary from Manasseh Azure. There’s no credibility in condoning with others to tarnish the image of government.
30th June, 2021, the President of the Republic of Ghana has set that day to inaugurate Toyota Vehicle Assembly Plant here in Ghana which supposed to be a great news for Ghanaians.
On that same day, the opposition National Democratic Congress leadership has organized a demonstration in Ejura in the Ashanti Region deliberately to take away the attention of the media from what the President set to do on that day. They have succeeded in that through the help of Multimedia and others. Hardly before you could see a publication of the inaugural ceremony of the Toyota Vehicle Assembly Plant in the newspapers. The headline of almost all the newspapers and Media houses contained the aftermath of the demonstration by the opposition NDC.
Another one is on the November 5th 2022 during the time the Vice President was at the Hogbetsotsoza of Anlos to represent the President at the event. Some uncultured supporters of the opposition National Democratic Congress hooted at him on the durbar ground. Exactly 6pm on that very day, Joy FM picked that as the first in the news headline. Others including me shook our heads and shouted what kind of journalism are we experiencing now in Ghana! Many Ghanaians who couldn’t attend the festival waiting to hear the summary but Joy FM decided to dwell on the uncouth behaviour of the supporters of NDC. They have prioritized the uncultured behaviour of the supporters of NDC more than the festival itself yet claiming they are credible.
In 2016, the flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress the then President made an emphatic statement that Let My Vote Count Alliances should leave the Electoral Commission alone. He emphasized that the Commission is an Independent and Autonomous body to discharge their duties without fear or favour.
He added that even he the President who appointed most of them including the Commissioner has no control or power over them so the public must stop attacking them. Fast forward to 2020, the same John Dramani Mahama was given the space enough by journalists to attack the the Commission without refreshing on what he said when he was a President.
Multimedia didn’t see anything bad about that whereby will play back all he said but rather decided to promote hypocrisy among leaders.
The same person who made it clear to unemployed graduates who were with him seeking for jobs that he’s not a magician to create jobs for them. We all heard the kinds of jobs his ministers advised the graduates to engage themselves on.
The same Former President John Dramani Mahama came out with something that I described as jaundice termed it as 24hrs economy policy that will create more jobs for the youths. Joy FM couldn’t ask him whether he’s now a magician to do so but rather disturbing our ears with that jaundice policy proposal.
They have successfully ignored all that the flagbearer of the NDC said during the time he was a President but busily playing back what the flagbearer of New Patriotic Party said during 2016. How can you be trusted if you have decided to do selective journalism?
The most annoying and unbelievable aspect that compelled me to pen down all these is the behaviour of the NDC Dishonorable Members of Parliament. 6th March, 2024 a day Ghanaians gathered at the capital town of Eastern Region to be precise Koforidua to celebrate the 67th Independence Day.
On that very day the Dishonorable NDC Members of Parliament have decided to again divert the attention of the public from the colourful event held in Koforidua by involving themselves in unthinkable agenda supported by their partners in the Multimedia. I described what they did on that very day as something that can never be thought and executed by a Kindergarten learner.
The mediocrity must stop because they are not more knowledgeable than those who voted for them. How on Earth will you decide to go and commission something that you have little or no knowledge about?
Are they telling us that they cut sod for the commencement of the project so have every right to go and commission it?
What kind of people are these? From look of things it’s obvious that multimedia has always receive invite ahead of whatever the NDC has plan to execute a reason why they can’t condemn that childish act but rather chastising the security men who were there to discharge their duties.
The last but not the least is about something which has been bothering my mind for some time now and wish to find out from Multimedia/Joy FM.
I am aware there’s a reporter at the presidency in the name of Joy FM and also aware that this guy has been moving with the President to tour the length and breadth of this country. He has been observing, taking pictures and videos concerning all projects the President cuts sod for and those that they have started and completed and are ready for commissioning.
He’s there in the name of Joy FM not as an individual. I can’t tell if he’s sleeping on his job or those working at the studio deliberately sabotaging his efforts.
Since he’s there as Joy FM reporter, I know pictures and videos concerning all projects done by this government will definitely be in a custody of Joy FM.
Interestingly, NDC communicators will sit on programs organized by Joy FM and will make emphatic statement that this government has borrowed a lot but there’s absolutely nothing to show for what they have borrowed. The host didn’t see this as a deceit and unfortunate statement and will use the opportunity to at least show a video clips of projects done by this government. What they normally do is to even aid them to continue telling lies about the government. They sometimes heckle the NPP Communicators not to clear the air concerning the lies put out there by the NDC communicators. If can’t use what your reporter at the presidency to counter lies of the desperate opposition National Democratic Congress then you better withdraw his services at the presidency.
How can you be credible if there’s no fairness in your reportage and moderating?
To crown it all, Multimedia is really Independent, Fearless but never Credible. On this note I entreat them to as a matter of urgency remove the word *”Credible”* from their slogan. They didn’t deserve it and it’s undisputable fact. I have managed to provide proofs to discredit the credible tag you have put on yourselves. If you can’t stand on two legs (Independent and Fearless) then I will offer a nice adjective to replace the word Credible. I think Stubborn will be a better replacement (Independent, Fearless and Stubborn).
As we are preparing towards election 2024, you must level the ground for all the political parties to have a smooth campaign not what we have experienced in 2020.
Stop projecting a failed one term President and start asking him questions based on all that he said during his time as a President. The flagbearer of the NDC must not be treated as new but must be held accountable for all that he did and said when he was a President.
Journalists must stop aiding the flagbearer of NDC to be hiding behind his short memory mantra moving round scamming electorates just to comeback to power and complete his eight years mandate.
Ghana will develop if journalists start doing their jobs diligently and stop promoting failed and clueless leaders to comeback to power
Watch out for the next article (*THE STATE DESTRUCTION WEAPON, IS IT IN THE HANDS OF POLITICIANS OR JOURNALISTS?*)
Thank you all for lending me your time to this article of mine.
God richly bless you all.
Written by Isaac Nyagbenu
Tel. 0242628766/0201544044.
