Arnold Explains Why Award Schemes Face Credibility Challenges

By Esther Korantemaa Offei

Veteran entertainment journalist and industry analyst Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo has attributed the recurring credibility and fairness controversies surrounding Ghanaian award schemes to a poor understanding of voting metrics by both the public and industry insiders.

Speaking in an exclusive interview on Highway 10.19 on Zed FM, Asamoah-Baidoo, a former board chair of the Ghana Music Awards USA and a contributor to several major award schemes, said award credibility largely depends on how a scheme is structured and communicated.

“There are different types of awards in the industry. There is the honorary one, where organizers simply decide to honour individuals based on experience or longevity. Then there is the competitive one, where artists are placed together and assessed using set metrics,” he explained.

According to him, competitive award schemes rely heavily on clearly defined criteria such as hit releases, audience appeal, and industry impact within a specified year under review.

“Every award scheme comes up with its own metrics. And once those metrics are set, winners should be determined either by industry experts or the general public, depending on the model adopted,” he said.

Asamoah-Baidoo stressed that most of the controversies arise in public-oriented award schemes, where voters often ignore the criteria and vote based on personal preference rather than performance indicators.

“When an award is public-oriented, you cannot turn around and accuse the organizers of underhand dealings. Once the public has the power, the outcome depends on how well an artist mobilises support,” he said.

Citing past controversies at the Ghana Music Awards USA, he noted that many critics questioned winners without first examining whether the nominees met the criteria for nomination.

“What people should question is how someone got onto the nomination list. Once that hurdle is crossed, you have no control over how the public votes,” he explained.

He contrasted this with industry-led awards such as the Grammy Awards, where winners are selected solely by academy members.

“If Drake or Chris Brown wins an R&B award at the Grammys, your issue should be with the academy, not the public, because experts made that decision,” he added.

According to Asamoah-Baidoo, both the public and even academy members often fail to apply the established metrics during voting.

“Once the nomination list comes out, everything is thrown out of the window. People vote based on who they like, how the artist looks, or emotional attachment, not on who actually performed best within the year,” he said.

Using the Artiste of the Year category as an example, he explained that voters should be weighing measurable achievements such as streams, hit songs, and audience reach.

“Before I vote, I need to weigh how Black Sherif performed compared to Medikal based on the metrics, not because I like one more than the other,” Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo stated.

Asamoah-Baidoo believes award organizers must do more to educate both voters and academy members.

“There should be proper analysis before voting. Organizers should present the numbers, streams, impact, reach, so voters can make informed decisions,” he said.

He added that continuous public education during the voting process is essential.

“The PR machinery of award schemes must constantly remind the public what they are voting for and why. Otherwise, voting becomes about affinity, not merit,” he noted.

Asamoah-Baidoo concluded that restoring trust in award schemes requires transparency, consistent education, and strict adherence to established criteria.

“Until we fully understand and respect the metrics, award controversies will continue,” he said.