Penplusbytes pledges to revamp quality Journalism in Ghana
By Isaac AIDOO, Accra
Executive Director of Penplusbytes, a non-profit organization , Mr Jeremiah Sam says the organization aims to build the capacity of journalists to effectively utilize digital tools to enhance their work.
While acknowledging the importance of leveraging digital technology to improve news production and audience engagement, Sam emphasized the need to revamp and revive fundamental journalism skills such as ethics, journalism safety, interviewing, and writing.
This move comes as Ghana’s media freedom ranking continues to decline, highlighting the need for a renewed focus on quality journalism practices.
According to Mr Sam, who was speaking at a forum organised for some editors of media houses in Accra “ with the emerging trend of AI and other digital tools, we feel that we have to go back to basics, build the capacity of journalists in using these digital tools to enhance their work.”
Penplusbytes, he recalled started off building the capacity of journalists to use Information Communication and Technology (ICT) tools.
“We need to take advantage and leverage on digital technology to improve the news production cycle and also to better inform and educate our target audience, which are ordinary Ghanaians,” he stated, lamenting , we realize that we are shifting away from the basics of journalism, like ethics, journalism safety, even the basics of interviewing and, you know, writing stories.”
Mr Sam pledged the organisation’s determination to revamp and revive good quality journalism and ensure that practitioners are well versed in what they do and are productive you know, how, you know, news reporting is done in Ghana across board, you know, ethics and all of that safety of journalists.
“We are very much aware of where the media is, especially looking at the Media Freedom Index and the issues that contribute to the decline in Ghana so we will do our bit to enhance the work of journalists and make them more productive than before,” he assured.
