The International Institute of ICT Journalism,
Penplusbytes, as part of its mission to improve the quality of journalism using
new digital technologies, has facilitated the formation of Online Editors Ghana.
Online Editors Ghana is a network of online news
leaders in Ghana committed to promoting quality journalism and maintaining high
ethical standards that govern online news ecosystem.
The network’s formation is the outcome of a unanimous
agreement of 20 online news editors who were present at a one-day “Strategic
Briefing for Newsroom Online Editors,” organised by Penplusbytes in Accra with
the key objective of creating a unified platform to connect, inspire and share
ideas to define the future of online Journalism in Ghana.
The online editors were drawn from Daily Graphic, Spy
Ghana, Citi FM, Ghana News Agency, Daily Guide, TV3, Starr FM, Radio XYZ, Metro
TV, Inform Ghana, Ghanaian Chronicle, Modern Ghana, Spy News Agency and,
Business and Financial Times.
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| Founding Members of Online Editors Ghana |
The group, which has set out to become Ghana’s
ultimate affiliate body for online Editors, has elected Isaac Yeboah of Graphic
Communication as its interim Chairman with Charity Tetteh-Roberts of Radio XYZ
as Vice-Chair and will formally be inaugurated in April, 2015.
In a short speech, Mr. Yeboah decried the habit of
disregarding sound ethical considerations by some online news portals all in
the name of the “We broke it first” syndrome, characterized by a rush to break
news online first while throwing caution to the wind and disregarding
professional ethics.
“Competition
has a way of bringing the best out of online news but it would require hard
work and responsibility on the part of its players,” he added.
Online editors Ghana has therefore set in motion a
campaign to curb the abuse of ethics. It also indicated its readiness to
partner with the Ghana Journalist Association to streamline the conduct of
online Editors and also with Journalism Schools to put online journalism ethics
at the centre of their curriculum.
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| Isaac Yeboah, Chairman, Online Editors, Gh. |
Mr. Charles Ayiku, a Web Communications expert and a
facilitator at the briefing, warned Editors to prioritize credibility in online
content delivery without which their audience cannot trust news from their
respective online news outlets and desist from slanderous practices that will
attract libel or the risk of being sued.
Another facilitator at the briefing Mr. Asamoah
Boahene, a New Media Expert, took the editors through exciting key trends and
developments in the global online news environment in order for them to
maintain a competitive edge.
Penplusbytes is a leading
organization in Africa, established in 2001 and working in three areas: the use
of technology to drive governance and accountability, new media and innovations
as well as oil, gas and mining.
SOURCE: PENPLUSBYTES
SOURCE: PENPLUSBYTES
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