Investigating the Credibility of Content on Misleading Messages in Broadcast Media in Ghana

Abstract

This study examines the reliability of broadcast media in Ghana, concentrating on the incidence of misinformation and its effect on audience confidence. The research employed a mixed-methods approach, gathering quantitative data from 200 inhabitants in Osu and Kanda, as well as qualitative insights from interviews with journalists and editors from prominent media organizations including TV3, Joy News, and Citi FM. The quantitative results indicate a demographic bias towards younger individuals, who predominantly rely on social media for news consumption, signifying a transformation in news consumption patterns. Significantly, 83% of respondents indicated experiencing deceptive content, implying a substantial decline in trust towards conventional media sources. Qualitative interviews yielded profound insights on the issues encountered by media practitioners, encompassing time constraints, sensationalism, and the necessity for meticulous fact-checking. Some practitioners recognized these pressures, while others asserted that strict adherence to editing norms mitigated the dissemination of false material. The research underscores the imperative for augmented editorial supervision, continuous training, and refined regulatory structures to maintain media integrity. It further underscores the imperative for Ghanaian broadcast media to confront the issues presented by misleading content in order to rebuild public trust and uphold the integrity of information shared with the audience. In terms of recommendations, the study admonished the establishment of rigorous fact-checking protocols, the advancement of media literacy initiatives, and a request for regulatory agencies to impose more stringent accountability standards within the media sector.