The police should take swift action against the 16 people detained for breaking into the Accra-based UTV studio and arraign them before a court of competent jurisdiction to serve as a deterrence to others, according to the Private Newspapers and Internet News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG).
This call was made in response to an alleged NPP youth’s attack on the host and guests of the United Showbiz program.
PRINPAG referred to the incident as sad in a statement that was released on Sunday.
It inspired Ghanaian journalists to uphold their commitment to their work as the Fourth Estate of the nation and to their profession’s ethical standards without fear or favor.
The association stated that it “abhors these attacks on journalists and media houses in the country and we condemn the attack in no uncertain terms and without any reservation. We are concerned about the continued occurrence of such acts in a country that used to boast proudly of its rankings on global press freedom indexes.”
Furthermore, PRINPAG expressed concern that incidents like the one at UTV on Saturday night could undermine confidence and reverse progress made in achieving positive rankings in future press freedom indexes.
However, it found solace in the swift action by the police, stating, “It is however heart-warming to hear that, the police moved in swiftly to arrest 16 members of the thugs to avert a possible bloodbath.”
Read PRINPAG’s full statement below:
Attention:
All Media Houses
Sunday, October 8, 2023
THE THUGGERY AND BARBARIC ATTACK ON UNITED TELEVISION (UTV) ON SATURDAY NIGHT UNFORTUNATE*
The Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG), has noted with deep concern, the barbaric and uncivilized attack on United Television (UTV) by some thugs during the station’s United Showbiz programme on Saturday, October, 7, 2023. The thugs invaded and disrupted the prime time show while it was being aired live.
As an Association of media owners, we abhor these attacks on journalists and media houses in the country and we condemn the attack in no uncertain terms and without any reservation. We are concerned about the continued occurrence of such acts in a country that used to boast proudly of its rankings on global press freedom indexes.
It is important to note that, recently Ghana dropped two places – from 60th in 2022 to 62nd in 2023 in the annual Global Press Freedom ranking by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and a deliberate action to restore hope on the Ghanaian media landscape is urgently needed.
However, actions such as what occurred at UTV on Saturday night further enhances the deterioration of confidence and erodes all gains made in achieving a positive ranking in the years ahead.
It is however heartwarming to hear that, the police moved in swiftly to arrest 16 members of the thugs to avert a possible blood bath.
We at PRINPAG would like to take this opportunity to call on all stakeholders, especially the Police to expedite action on the 16 persons arrested and arraign them before a court of competent jurisdiction so as to serve as a deterrent to others.
We wish to further encourage journalists in the country not to be frightened or cowed by these incidents, rather, they should resolve to do their work as the Fourth Estate of the realm without fear or favor going by the ethics of their profession.
Long Live Press Freedom, Long Live PRINPAG.
Signed:
Jeorge Wilson Kingson
Ag. Executive Secretary
0244822034
Andrew Edwin Arthur
President
0244980088
