<<Print>>

The Ghana Media Standards Improvement Project (GMSIP), an initiative that seeks to develop a culture of investigative and analytical journalism in Ghana would start training journalists early next year after the selection process ends in January 2010. This according to Professor Kwame Karikari, Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), followed public outcry and disenchantment about the media's performance and the need to help the raise reporting standards in the country's democratic dispensation. Briefing the media in Accra on Wednesday, Executive Director of the MFWA said the project that was launched in June this year by the Foundation and the Ghana Journalist Association would be and funded by the royal Danish Embassy. Prof. Karikari said the two-year pilot project would involve principally four newspapers and eight rural radio station which would assess public attitudes and perceptions of the Ghanaian media and then undertake training to improve standards, as well as training to support the media's capacity for sustainability in a difficult market environment. He said it was expected that at the end of the survey a comprehensive assessment of the media performance (newspaper readership and radio listenership) that would provide for media owners an index of public attitudes and perception of their operations. Prof Karikari said it would also improve investigative journalism and analytical writing, exemplified by new columns and radio programmes designed to advance media scrutiny of public affairs and promoting public accountability and improvement in newspaper layout/design and packaging. Ms Ajoa Yeboah-Afari, the GMSIP Coordinator, said only media houses were eligible (not individuals) for selection and only media owners and managers may apply on behalf of their newspapers or radio stations. Other selection criteria are that the media should be registered, as required, with the national media Commission or the National Communications Authority. The media must be willing to share or discuss vision and mission, plan for growth and show interest in covering social issues, in-depth and investigative journalism and also show interest in staff joining the GJA or other professional bodies such as the Independent Broadcaster Association Radio Peace of Winneba, a community radio station received a special award from the media foundation for it contribution to rural radio in the country.