Excluding key media houses from President’s encounter is poor judgment – MFWA

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has criticized the decision by the Information Ministry to exclude key media organizations from Tuesday’s encounter by President Akufo-Addo.
Some notable media houses were missing from the Presidential encounter held at the Flagstaff House, to mark the first six months of the Akufo-Addo Presidency.
Deputy Information Minister, Perry Okudzeto is reported to have offered explanations as to why a popular station based in Accra, Radio Gold, was left out of the list.
Perry Okudzeto
“Media houses in the country are many and so we found a way of pruning down the number. It was not because of any political affiliation … .we had to send out invitation to some and not all. It is not only Radio Gold that was not invited; other stations in Accra were also not invited,” Mr. Okudzeto told Peace FM.




But Executive Director of the Foundation, Sulemana Braimah in a post on Facebook hours after the event, said the Deputy Minister’s “explanation just doesn’t wash”.
Read Sulemana Braimah’s post below:
WHY WERE SOME KEY MEDIA HOUSES NOT INVITED?
Why were some key media houses not invited to the Presidential encounter while others had more than one, even more than two representatives? I have read what is said to be an explanation by Deputy Information Minister, Perry. But the explanation just doesn’t wash.
For such an important media event with the President, you cannot leave out a major station like Radio Gold. Yes, Radio Gold is Pro-NDC, so what? In fact, that is precisely the reason why they ought to have been invited even if it was only 10 media organisations that were invited.
According to latest figures for first quarter 2017, Radio Gold is Number 6 in Accra in terms of listenership and number 10 nationally. So what were the criteria for selecting the media organisations that were invited? Was it out of fear, malice or discrimination? Such a poor judgment!!!

Source:Myjoyonline