Kwesi Pratt: Very Unfair To Condemn Daily Guide…Most Media Practitioners Are Equally Guilty

“…it is unfair to single out Daily Guide for condemnation. I think it is unfair…many, many of us deserve to be sanctioned,” says Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr.

The Managing Editor was speaking on recent criticisms directed at the Daily Guide newspaper for publishing morgue pictures of the late Senior Presidential Advisor to President Mahama, P.V. Obeng.

Pictures of the late Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission lying at the morgue were first published on social media platforms such as Whatsapp and Facebook on Sunday, a day after he died.

Monday May 19, 2014 edition of the Daily Guide newspaper also contained a picture of the deceased in the morgue.

Subsequently, the National Media Commission (NMC) and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), condemned the publication of those pictures indicating that they were a breach of the privacy of the bereaved family and the right to dignity of the late Mr P. V. Obeng.

Many others who felt outraged at the publication of the pictures have asked the Daily Guide newspaper to apologise to the bereaved family.

However, the Daily Guide newspaper said they had done nothing wrong.

Contributing to a panel discussion on Radio Gold’s Alhaji and Alhaji programme, Kwesi Pratt Jnr said it was unfair to single out Daily Guide for condemnation because other media outlets were also guilty of such practices.

“…it is unfair to the extent that there are many media men in our country who are daily violating the ethics of our profession…if you pick our newspapers, you see people who have hanged themselves and their pictures are published on the front pages…nudity is being exhibited and so on. So why do we single out the Daily Guide? I think it is important to condemn all such practices,” he said.

He however expressed satisfaction at the fact the GJA and the NMC are working to ensure that the ethics of the profession are not undermined.

“I am happy that the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) and the National Media Commission (NMC) are beginning to insist on standards but if it is left on the condemnation of the Daily Guide alone, I think it is unfair…many, many of us deserve to be sanctioned”.

Commenting on the numerous tributes that have poured in since the death of P. V. Obeng, Kwesi Pratt said: “whether you agree with him or disagree, he has served his country…for those who think that Mr. P.V.Obeng led an excellent life and contributed tremendously to the development of our country, they should emulate that example and strive to do better than he did. For those who would want to dwell on his mistakes, let us take a cue for what they consider as mistakes and not repeat those mistakes. That is the only way we can serve this country and move it forward”.