The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has called for a national effort to save Ghana’s mainstream media, warning that the rapid rise of social media is eroding professional journalism and threatening the survival of traditional news institutions.
Speaking at the 29th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, the Asantehene said while social media was once hailed for democratizing information, it has now unleashed “a fireball of uncontrollable velocity” that endangers the integrity of the media landscape.
“The mainstream media that has been the bulwark of our cultural history is cocooned in intensive fighting for its last breath,” Otumfuo said. “Tonight, we need to raise a national call to save the mainstream.”
Otumfuo lamented that the rise of unregulated online platforms has weakened professional standards, creating confusion and misinformation across the public space.
He urged the GJA Awards to serve not just as a night of celebration, but as a moment of national reflection on the future of journalism amid digital disruption and ethical decline.
“For me, the GJA Awards night is more than a celebration of deserving practitioners. It should be a moment of deep national significance — a time for reflection and soul-searching on the daunting challenges of our age,” he said.
The Asantehene also traced the historic role of the Ghanaian media in the nation’s democratic and political evolution, emphasizing that journalists have been “critical pillars for national cohesion and prosperity.”
He paid tribute to the late Professor Paul Lévi-Ansin, in whose memory the Journalist of the Year Award is dedicated, describing him as a symbol of courage, fairness, and integrity — values he urged journalists to uphold in today’s environment.
“We should continue to hail journalists who are prepared to speak truth to power. But journalistic courage must be matched with integrity, fidelity to truth, and a moral compass that respects the values of our tradition,” Otumfuo added.
The event, themed “Building Trust in the Media for National Development,” brought together President John Dramani Mahama, ministers of state, media professionals, and traditional leaders to celebrate excellence and reaffirm journalism’s role as the conscience of the nation.
BY Isaac Justice Bediako
