Print Media Fighting For Its Last Breath Due to Social Media- Asantehene

The King of the Asante Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has identified the threat that evolving social media poses to the mainstream media in Ghana. His Majesty mentioned the concerning situation, which has received little attention during an event dinner he organised at the Manhyia Palace for the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA). Otumfuo observes that the emergence of web-based social network platforms was killing the mainstream media, particularly the print media, a situation that is not replicated in advanced countries. “Social media has left the mainstream media struggling for survival, while the mainstream media may continue to shoulder the developed world, the situation in Ghana may not be pleasant. Sadly, the mainstream media that has been the bulwark of our cultural history is cocooned in intensive care fighting for its last breath.” The Asantehene, therefore, called for an urgency in addressing the situation to provide a lifeline to the print. “I believe tonight, we need to raise a national court to save the mainstream print media. These papers are now part of our cultural heritage, and we should do everything possible to save them from extinction.” The king also raised concerns about unprofessionalism and disregard for laws in the practice of journalism in the current dispensation. “Let me be clear. The rule of law is the foundation of democracy. We cannot have a vital part of our society which is exempt from the rule of law. Therefore, any form of media, new or old, operating without any legal constraint is potentially a direct threat to democracy. “It is important for us as a sovereign nation to ensure respect for and compliance with our laws and traditions across the board, and just as we expect to curb impunity in public life, so we will do well to curb impunity in the media space.” Story by Hajara Fuseini