The June 2024 edition of the Media Foundation for West Africa’s (MFWA) language monitoring report has shed light on the use of indecent language by political show hosts on pro-National Democratic Congress (NDC) radio stations – Accra FM and Power FM.
The report highlighted that Kwabena Bobie Ansah, host of the Citizen Show on Accra FM, and Mugabe Maase, host of Inside Politics on Power FM, were the worst offenders in terms of using indecent expressions on radio during the month. Kwabena Bobie Ansah recorded 14 violations, while Mugabe Maase recorded six violations.
The language monitoring exercise conducted by MFWA aims to track abusive expressions by politicians, politically affiliated individuals, commentators, and show hosts on selected radio programs. The goal is to discourage the use of intemperate language, hate speech, and other forms of abusive language that can fuel divisiveness and polarization, especially in the lead-up to the general elections.
During the monitoring period from June 1 to June 30, 2024, a total of 46 incidents of indecent expressions were uncovered across nine selected radio stations. Accra FM and Power FM accounted for 33 of these incidents, with a majority of the violations involving insulting and offensive language in discussions related to elections, security, corruption, and development projects.
The report also highlighted concerns about the role of show hosts in maintaining decorum and moderating discussions. The significant involvement of hosts like Kwabena Bobie Ansah and Mugabe Maase in using indecent language was deemed detrimental to creating a healthy media environment.
Furthermore, the report underscored the amplification of these violations through social media platforms, particularly Facebook and YouTube. All 46 indecent violations recorded on radio were also streamed live on social media, with Facebook streaming all violations and YouTube streaming 25 of them simultaneously.
In light of these findings, the report recommended that radio stations and presenters adhere to professional standards, refrain from using indecent expressions, and ensure that their guests engage in respectful and fact-based conversations. It also called for the enhancement of regulatory and self-regulatory mechanisms by the National Media Commission (NMC), the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to promote media professionalism.
Additionally, the report advised political party leaders to encourage their representatives, affiliates, and communicators to prioritize issue-based discussions and refrain from using indecent language. The full report can be accessed here.
