The media liberalization and democracy : experiences from Accra, Ghana

Abstract

This research reports the outcome of investigation into the current sustained democratic dispensation in Ghana and the role the media have played in that regard. Ghana has a checked political history of a mixture of coup d’états and some practice of democracy. The country has had about six coups intermixed with some form of democracy since independence in 1957. All that has changed in recent years and currently Ghana as a state is practicing constitutional democracy which has been named the fourth republic, basically because it is the fourth attempt by the country to go democratic. For the first time in Ghana, this form of democracy has been sustained for the last 17 years. It is believed that some institutions have been well placed to ensure the sustenance of this democratic dispensation in Ghana. However, the transition to democracy in Ghana also paved way for the media to flourish into vibrancy, hence numerous news media (both print and electronic) have sprang up in Ghana and have found their position as the fourth estate after the executive, legislature and the judiciary. The significance of this study is embedded in the fact that Ghana’s democracy has made way for freedom, peace and development for her people which can serve as an example for the West African sub-region and even Africa which have been in the news for civil wars.

Using interview and focus group discussion, factors that fed into media contribution to democratic sustenance in Ghana were explored. Data gathered and analyzed revealed the media have been able to play their democratic role by giving the people information to help them understand unfolding political issues as well as helping them become active participants in the political and democratic forward movement in Ghana. The sample size was 50.