The Minister of Information designate, Fatimatu Abubakar, has revealed that nearly 30 per cent of media outlets established in Ghana collapsed within six months of operation.
This was largely due to financial constraints adding that most radio and electronic media outlets are set up as non-viable entities, Ms Abubakar said, when a delegation from the DW Academy called on her, at the ministry, in Accra, on Tuesday.
The visit was aimed at assessing how Ghana was aligning its media landscape to address the evolving global impact of artificial intelligence, as well as capacity-building initiatives for media professionals.
“A recent research indicated that 30 per cent of electronic media houses established in Ghana collapse within six months due to financial constraints. Generally, there is so much struggle within the media space, therefore, media houses can do with some support,” Ms Abubakar revealed.
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Ms. Abubakar said the government welcomed global organizations offering financial support and capacity building for Ghanaian media outlets. She expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming opening of the African Regional Office of the International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM) in Accra which will provide financial support to local media houses.
The government has allocated an office for IFPIM, currently undergoing renovation, and expected to be inaugurated within a month. Once operational, media houses can apply for financial assistance from IFPIM to strengthen their operations and promote media freedom in the country.
Ms. Abubakar said the government, over the past two years, has assisted media outlets in the country by way of organizing media capacity enhancement programs, which offered training in media ethics and professionalism, coordinated programs on journalist safety, and public campaigns against misinformation and disinformation.
Ms. Natascha Schwanke, Director of Media Development at Deutsche Welle Academy, highlighted their efforts to promote a healthy information environment, funded by the German Development Ministry.
Since establishing an office in Ghana in 2018, they’ve focused on enhancing media literacy and policy implementation.
The Programme Director, Ms. Ama Kodjo, also mentioned support for investigative journalism and capacity building for Ghanaian journalists. They’ve aided content creation and provided training for local media outlets, with the Fourth Estate being one of the beneficiaries.