It’s about time you realize media is not just about numbers—Sulemana Braimah to Media General

Executive Director for the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah has chided Onua TV for allowing Captain Smart to use such inciteful words on television.

He is of the view that such unprofessional conduct must not be entertained in the name of getting the numbers and revenue.

To him, it is about time media owners look at producing quality content for the people they serve.

His comments come on the back of a video of Captain Smart inciting young men in Obuasi to invade Anglogold Ashanti to mine.

The video has received widespread condemnation after seven young people were reportedly shot to death after they invaded the the AGA mine and engaged in a shootout with the Military that was guarding the mine.

Read His Post Below

ONUA FM/ ONUA TV:

Some of these acts perpetrated and tolerated on Onua FM/Onua TV present a clear and significant threat to not only national peace and social cohesion but also to media freedom.

It does appear that for the owners, board and managers of the media organisation, media freedom means media recklessness is allowed so long as such acts will attract listeners and viewers, and ultimately, advertisers who simply advertise on the basis of numbers. No more ethics, no more values and no more professionalism. I hope we will begin to have ethical advertisers who will look beyond the numbers.

These acts of recklessness that only serve the interest of the perpetrator and media owners cannot be part of the reasons why our 1992 constitution grants elaborate freedoms for the media. Such freedoms are granted because the media, when responsible, professional and ethical, can, and actually will be, a force for the good of our society. Media freedom cannot be the same as media chaos.

I am hoping that one day, and hopefully very soon, the owners and controllers of the media organisation will come to appreciate that it’s not, and should not be, all about numbers and advertising revenue. I hope and pray that they come to the realisation that it is also possible to have the numbers and revenue from good, ethical, and professional media practice.

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