Journalist Israel Laryea has described the sort of Journalism practiced in Ghana as “Fast-Food Journalism”.
Speaking on Starr Chat Wednesday, he said “Here in Ghana a lot of what we do is what I call ‘fast food journalism’. You go to work in the morning, you are supposed to produce a story by midday.
“But that’s not the way the news actually works. You are supposed to do a thorough job on the story. We are supposed to keep people staying with one particular theme, so that if we say energy, oil and gas issues, there’s this particular person who’s handling it,” he told host Bola Ray.
The multimedia Journalist added “So that person brings a wealth of experience, often in about 10 years minimum. He’s seen several governments and he’s seen several ministers, when he speaks to an issue, when he is writing a story, he brings so much to it.
As to whether training could better the standards, he said “you can give the people all the training that you want, but if the people don’t find the profession attractive, and it turns out that a lot of people don’t think that journalism pays. They must have the passion for it, so that come what may they are staying with the profession”.
He also urged journalists to source other means of surviving to add to their monthly stipend. “It is important to have multiple streams of income,” he added.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM/Senanu Damilola Wemakor