Real news versus sensationalism

How many times haven?t the media in Ghana been accused of sensationalism? So rampant has the accusation been done that, even when you put out a story on an issue that is badly affecting our community, the horrific nature of the issue leads to conclusions that you are been sensational.

At a recent media encounter organised by a presidential aspirant of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), I was branded a Sensationalist by the aspirant and my only crime was to ask him to clarify an issue which arose from his own response to two different questioners.

I am not sure if I deserved to be so described but some of my other colleagues agreed my question was a good one. Others who chose to sing praises instead of asking and probing the man thought my question was unnecessary and indeed sensational.

What happened? After taking us through what the aspirant said were his priority areas should he be elected and trumpeting his achievements as a Minister of State claiming that it is only a visionary like him who could achieve that, we settled down to questions.

I found those claims worrisome because many of the things been talked about were already started projects and or existing ideas and in a true democratic and development oriented regime, on-going projects etc must be continued taking due cognisance of the benefits.

In any case, the success of those projects should go to the government and maybe the President for appointing persons who are able to seize the opportunities and bring to life the vision of the government through whatever means possible.

Not surprisingly, we had so-called senior journalists who are nothing but shouting presenters on radio (and who somebody should offer to provide with free interviewing skills training) and number sycophants willing to pretend that they are on everybody?s side.

With a great deal of paranoia in the system, people like that make many especially politicians to believe that once you ask a question of somebody and report on something critical of a person you are that person?s enemy.

A good and managed PR and a person with good image and PR managers is one that is able to take up the challenge of a tough, critical but true question to explain himself or his actions in a manner that will win over admirers.

But not in Ghana, and it cuts across the political system. And so it came to pass that, our so-called senior journalist got up to say that he admires the aspirant so much because, if all ministers were to have worked as hard and diligently as he did, Ghana will be a better place.

On the surface, it was a good wish, but not at a press conference where your job is to find out more and go let your readers and/or listeners know.

So when Kwesi Pratt asked a question, and another guy from the Enquirer also asked a question, the responses were for me very hostile and laden with suggestions that the questions were motivated by malice. I should have known and kept quiet because ordinarily I am not one that asks questions at press conferences.

But I thought that my question would help the aspirant clear the confusion generated by his previous responses. He had in a response to a question from a young lady explained that he did not touch on critical issues like youth unemployment and how he?ll help reduce that because the current administration is doing very well to tackle that.

He mentioned the NYEP, youth in agriculture project etc as some of the initiatives, adding that he will not be tackling differently things or areas that the current administration is handling very well. And that was why he did not talk or mention youth and unemployment.

He had dwelt on education especially tertiary education and also improving the health delivery system and the NHIS which he said was a very laudable initiative.

I therefore took the opportunity to ask him whether it is his conclusion therefore, based on his earlier response, that while government has been doing what is necessary, it has not done enough to improve the tertiary education and health care sectors.

The response was simple. ?As for you Stan Dogbe, you can choose to remain the sensationalist that you are...? and I was shocked just like others. But you can?t blame him; it is our fault as journalists because our collective actions and this includes me, have gotten us to this stage.

It is also true that many a time, our headlines and story presentation style as journalists, makes it very sensational. Will we however, agree to suggestions that we intentionally sensationalise stories?

Colleague journalists on the IJNet discussion forum shared their thoughts on the issue of real news and sensationalism.

In a bid to attract more readers or a bigger audience, many media outlets sensationalize their stories. Even reports on the most newsworthy topics, such as war or a natural disaster, can seem like they were meant to entertain or titillate rather than inform. In a competitive market for news, how hard is it to inform readers while also attracting their interest? How often does your newsroom over-sensationalize a story? And in those cases, what can you do about it, if anything? IJNet would like to hear your opinion. Newspapers very rarely get a chance to break a story these days. Across the globe 24x7 News channels bring all hot news. Internet provides news at the very moment it happens. In this context, it' is quiet natural that daily papers try to sensationalise the stories. Otherwise nobody cares about the paper. While preparing the front page of the paper the editor always keeps in mind the attitude of readers (buyers) arriving at news stands the next morning. So, aiming at the buyer we all have a tendency to give catchy headlines at least for the lead story. Azeez C.O.T Saudi Arabia

It is certain that the main purpose of a media house is selling the news for readers or audience. Media houses and journalists must give preference in saleability tuning with media ethics and its socio economic condition of their nation. But, unnaturally sensationalizing news is certainly not a good thing. In news, Journalists must give information adequately and a media house too needs to adopt a policy to give preference to news in a free manner without breaching its value. Purna Bahadur Pokhrel

Sometimes, it becomes difficult to treat certain news items without getting a little sensational. But then there are times when certain news must just be dished out to the public without necessarily being sensational. In Liberia, where I work, during the civil war, not many people found pleasure in buying newspapers since there were other competing demands. So many news outlets thought it prudent to sensationalize their stories as a way of attracting readers. Even today, some newspapers that claimed to be radical and critical of government often sensationalize their reportage. But my boss, who himself has been labelled soft on government, has emphasized that priority should be given to development news. He is always heard saying, we do not need sensation to sell our paper. But again, he gets a good share of advertisement while most of the other papers that thrive on sensationalism often do not get advertisement and depend on sales and as such seek to sell their papers by indulging in sensational and catchy headline. Nathan N. Mulbah