This report has been produced as part of efforts by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) to provide empirical information and insights about the corona virus and its impact on the media across the West African region. The report, which is also being produced in the various countries in the region in collaboration with MFWA’s national partner organisations, seeks to provide relevant information based on the local contexts of each of the countries.
This is intended to help inform and guide interventions by stakeholders at national and regional levels to support the media in these critical times and beyond. This report focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 situation on the media landscape in Ghana. It covers the period since the first incident was recorded in March to June 2020.
Ghana recorded its first confirmed case of coronavirus infection on March 12, 2020. Consequently, the government proceeded to put in place a series of measures aimed at curbing the spread of the virus. These included the closure of all air, sea and land borders, the closure of places of worship, and a lockdown in the Greater Accra region as well as Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area – the second largest city and its adjourning towns. These restrictions, coupled with other social and economic fallouts of the outbreak of the COVID-19, have seriously impacted the media sector in Ghana as in other countries in the sub-region and the world.
The report examines the situation of the media in Ghana in response to COVID-19 and the attendant effect on the survival and viability of the media, professional journalism practice, press freedom and freedom of expression. It revolves focuses on five sub-themes – the availability and accessibility of information, legal and political context, safety of journalists, economic viability and media support.
Here is the full report.
