By
Robert Anane, GNA
Accra, Nov 12, GNA –
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), has a role to play in strengthening
social responsibility principles within individual media practitioners as well
as media houses.
“It must be noted
that the GJA has always been committed to matters related to social
responsibility, so the association has a vanguard role to play in further
strengthening social responsibility principles in media practitioners and media
institutions.”
Dr. Kweku Rockson,
Corporate Social Responsibility Consultant, and Senior Lecturer, Faculty of
Communication Studies, Wisconsin International University College, said this at
the fourth GJA Anniversary Lecture on Tuesday in Accra on the topic, “Aligning
Journalism Practice with the Social Responsibility Initiative: The Role of
Media Practitioners, Media Institutions and the Ghana Journalists
Association.”
He observed that the
GJA, through specific activities like the journalist of the year competitions,
had fully shown its commitment to improve media practice.
Dr. Rockson said the
GJA could consider introducing two new categories in the annual GJA Journalist of the Year
competition for members to sign up to a code of principles to show commitment
to professional competition, which he mentioned as the Individual Social
Responsibility Media Practitioner of the year and the Corporate Social
Responsibility Media Organisation of the year.
He said the
Association could also consider the establishment of a voluntary group to be
called the Association of Socially Responsible Media Organisations, where
members would sign up to a high ethical conduct and social responsibility in
their media practice.
“Another
recommendation is that, media organisations should be encouraged to commission
Corporate Social Responsibility consultants, to help make media organisations
Corporate Social Responsibility compliant,” Dr. Rockson added.
He urged media
entities to be creative in introducing stand-alone social responsibility initiatives,
adding that tertiary training institutions, especially media oriented ones,
should take Corporate Social Responsibility or Social Responsibility as a
multi-disciplinary.
“Since it has
elements of ethics, public relations, marketing, law, economics, business
management, industrial relations and human resources among others, it cannot be
handled comprehensively by specialists in any of these single
disciplines,” Dr. Rockson said.
He said media
practitioners should endeavour to learn about Corporate Social Responsibility,
to be able to discern when confronted with requests for coverage.
“Their
appreciation of this social and ethical practice should go beyond the undue
emphasis of corporate philanthropy,” he said.
Madam Elaine Sam,
Outgoing President, Institute of Public Relations-Ghana and Chairperson for the
occasion observed, “in the media arena, however, while one may be tempted
to see the very art of journalism as Corporate Social Responsibility, media
institutions have lately been in the forefront of using their platforms and
resources to draw attention to injustices and also bring relief to troubled
areas and institutions.”
She said corporate
Social Responsibility was inherently important because everyone had the
responsibility to care for people and the planet.
Madam Sam observed
that whilst profit was an important motivation and goal for organisations,
these organisations would not be successful if profit remained their only goal.
“There ought to
be an obligation on corporations to do good while they do well,” she said.
The event forms part
of activities to mark the GJA’s 70th anniversary celebration.
GNA
