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The Reverend Dr Paul Kofi Fynn, Chancellor, Wisconsin International University College, has charged the State and stakeholders in media management to pay journalists well so they can serve the best interest of the country.
He said the role of the media was indispensable in society, yet in Africa, journalists lacked recognition and were largely underpaid, with most of them experiencing appalling state of poverty especially in their old age.
He noted that the money to afford transportation to events for news coverage was even a challenge for most journalists.
“Journalists, your take-home pay cannot even take you home… It is so disappointing… It is so sad,” he lamented.
Rev Dr Fynn raised the concern on Wednesday during the launch of the 75th anniversary of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on the theme: “75 years of excellence in journalism: Honouring the past, embracing the present, shaping the future”.
He noted that the poor remuneration of journalists had made some brilliant and talented persons shy away from the profession.
He, however, commended the GJA President, Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, for his dynamic leadership in “pushing” for the welfare of journalists.
He urged journalists to remain committed to building and safeguarding the democratic principles of the country.
Sir Sam Jonah, the Keynote Speaker at the launch, lamented the waning levels of objectivity and patriotism across the media landscape, attributing it largely to the influence of materialism and partisanship among journalists.
He said: “The noble quest for truth now competes with the allure of political patronage and its material rewards, a phenomenon which threatens the sanctity of your independence– the Fourth Estate.”
He urged journalists to avoid bias and embrace the professional ethos in the coverage of the 2024 General Election.
Mr Dwumfour paid glowing tribute to the many forebears who laboured to bring the Association to its present state.
He said the GJA with the support of some training institutions would guide the ethical upbringing of Journalism students and equip them with skills in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence.
That, he said, would help brighten the future of Journalism and enable journalists to function effectively in the media space.
Activities lined up for the 75th GJA Anniversary celebrations include lectures, symposium, engagements with people with disabilities, media interactions, time with the veterans, and regional seminars and awards.
Source: GNA
