By Edward Acquah
Accra, April 29, GNA – Mr Albert Kofi Owusu, the General Manager of the Ghana News Agency (GNA), has called for urgent policy discussions to ensure that global technology companies compensate traditional media outlets for the use of their content.
He said large technology firms were extracting and monetising news content from media organisations without fair returns, raising concerns about sustainability and equity in the digital ecosystem.
Mr Owusu made the call on Wednesday at a media conference in Accra, organised by the Africa Media Bureau, in collaboration with the University of Ghana School of Information and Communication Studies.
It was on the theme: “The Future of Media Practice, Education and Policy in Ghana.”
He said: “When people subscribe to AI tools, the information they receive is largely drawn from our publications, yet traditional media does not get paid,” stressing the need for engagement with firms such as Google, Microsoft and OpenAI on content usage and revenue sharing.
The conference examined how digital transformation and media convergence were reshaping journalism, newsroom operations and training in Ghana.
Discussions in Europe and North America, Mr Owusu said, had advanced towards regulating “web scraping” – the automated extraction of content by AI systems – and warned that Africa risked falling behind.
“We are happy using AI to write and translate stories, but anything we put out there is learned by machines and sold back to users who pay for it,” he said.
The General Manager also raised concerns about data protection and labour practices linked to artificial intelligence, citing reports of young graduates engaging in “data labelling” for global tech firms under poor conditions.
“There are indications that such activities are happening in Ghana, yet our regulatory agencies may not be fully aware. We must shape policies to protect our youth,” he added.
On the future of journalism, Mr Owusu said artificial intelligence would not replace journalists’ work but would require new skills and ethical awareness to ensure accuracy, credibility, and responsible reporting in the digital age.
“AI is like a scientific calculator; you must know how to use it. It cannot replace the core values of journalism such as accuracy, verification and ethical judgement,” he noted.
He urged training institutions to integrate AI into curricula from the early stages, noting that modern journalists must operate across multiple platforms, including broadcast, web and social media.
“Today’s newsroom demands that you produce for radio, television, websites and social media at the same time. Without these skills, you are not employable,” he added.
Other speakers highlighted the need for stronger collaboration between academia and industry to prepare students for the evolving media landscape.
Professor Etse Sikanku, the Dean, School of Journalism and Media Studies, University of Media Arts and Communication, proposed structured apprenticeship models, where newsrooms serve as practical training laboratories for students.
Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, a former Dean of the School of Information and Communication Studies,emphasised ethical considerations in the use of artificial intelligence, urging media organisations to safeguard credibility while adopting new technologies.
Participants agreed that while traditional media faced increasing pressure from digital platforms, strategic investment, skills development and regulatory reforms could support its transformation in a “digital-first era.”
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
29 April 2026
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