Mass media coverage of development issues in northern Ghana.

Abstract

In Ghana, studies showed that the mass media mostly served elitist audiences since programmes aired were either linguistically inaccessible to rural audiences or were of little relevance to the deprived communities. This study investigated the role the media played in development, especially with regard to its contribution towards placing the development of Northern Ghana on the national agenda. It aimed at assessing the extent to which the national media reported on development issues emanating from Northern Ghana. Using content analysis of selected radio and television programmes and newspaper publications as well as interviews of media editors and audiences, the study revealed editors’ awareness of the fact that there existed inequality in development between the North and South of Ghana and that such a gap had a historical antecedence that needed to be addressed. However, media content showed the lack of attention to the development needs of the North. Not much newspaper space or sufficient airtime was devoted to stories on Northern development. Also, the media covered mainly organized events which were published in hard news fashion rather than researching into development challenges of Northern Ghana. The study recommended the organization of development reporting workshops for Ghanaian media practitioners and periodic visits of media editors based in the South to Northern Ghana, as well as the establishment of television stations in the North.