Ghanaian journalists practicing propaganda, not news reporting – Joseph Osei-Owusu

First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Joseph Osei-Owusu is worried about the manner in which news is reported by journalists in the country.

He says that in the subject of politics, Ghanaian journalists are only interested in reporting what has been said by politicians without verifying the information.

Mr. Osei-Owusu adds that the practice is contrary to what exists in developed countries.

“Unfortunately what we get as the news is what politicians and other people say. Whether it’s true or not, nobody verifies. On the contrary, if you take a journalist from the developed world, what you say, they will pick that and go and make reference. And so what we have in this country is propaganda and not news.”

He described news reporting in the country as ‘propaganda’ and not news.

In light of this, he urged students of the Ghana Institute of Journalism to strive and be different as they prepare to practice.

He challenged them to move away from propaganda and stick to reporting facts.

The politician also encouraged them to avoid reporting opinions of public personalities and strive to report verified information.

Mr. Osei-Owusu was speaking at a seminar held at the Ghana Institute of Journalism on the theme, “Adopting a lifestyle that is guided by moral principles.”