Excessive partisan media is affecting press freedom - Martin Kpebu

Celebrated human rights and constitutional lawyer, Martin Kpebu has mentioned the excessively partisan nature of the media in Ghana as one of the challenges associated with free speech in the country.

The legal practitioner, speaking at an event in Accra said the situation has led to media space where vitriolic attacks reign.

“You will find that some media will

Read full articleoften throw a lot of vitriol, insults, insults. Sometimes you open to some radio stations and you are like wow, is that a radio station? Insults upon insults. Doubling down, increasing, ratcheting up the insults and you are like wow,” he said.

He noted that some people tend to resort to insults in the media as a way of getting at politicians who they have issues with or perceive to have engaged in an illegality.

He however stated that members of the public should rather consider legal action against politicians rather than abuse them in the media.

“Yes, sometimes I reckon that they are angry at what politicians have done but maybe we should be looking at when we get the media fund, if what the politician has done is that illegal let’s sue rather than you are on radio, you will insult him personally, his parents, his mom and dad,” he stated.