Ghana has made substantial strides in media freedom, as indicated by the latest World Press Freedom Index 2024 released by Reporters Without Borders.
The West African nation has surged from 62nd place in 2023 to 50th in the recent update, signifying a notable advancement. This achievement positions Ghana among the top 50 countries out of the 180 surveyed in the report.
Reporters Without Borders recognized Ghana for its dynamic and diverse media landscape. Factors such as the media environment, legal framework, political climate, economic conditions, safety, and sociocultural context contribute to this positive assessment.
The assessment highlights that out of the five indicators utilized in the ranking process, it is the political aspect that has witnessed the most significant decline, with a global average decrease of 7.6 points.
The report spotlighted media platforms like the “Joy News channel, the Myjoyonline website, and radio Peace FM” as examples of outlets that are widely popular and reflect a high degree of pluralism and diversity.
However, within the political sphere, the report recounted an incident involving members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) forcefully entering the studios of UTV in Accra. It also mentioned the ruling party’s request to include one of its members in the broadcasts of the privately owned United TV channel for the sake of balance.
On a global scale, the findings underscore a concerning trend where political authorities are failing to foster an environment conducive to journalism and the public’s right to unbiased news and information.
Anne Bocandé, RSF’s editorial director, cautioned, “As more than half the world’s population goes to the polls in 2024, RSF is warning of a worrying trend revealed by the 2024 World Press Freedom Index: a decline in the political indicator, one of five indicators detailed in the Index. States and other political forces are playing a decreasing role in protecting press freedom.”
“This disempowerment sometimes goes hand in hand with more hostile actions that undermine the role of journalists, or even instrumentalize the media through campaigns of harassment or disinformation.”