In today’s Ghana, news breaks on Facebook before it reaches the newsroom.
A viral video can topple a politician or spark a national debate in seconds. But behind the speed and excitement of digital journalism lies a growing dilemma: how do we keep our facts straight, stay ahead of fake news, and protect our credibility in a world where the tools we use aren’t always ours to control?
Journalism in Ghana used to be a straightforward, one-directional business: print newspapers in the morning, evening broadcasts on radio and TV done. You’d get your information from a few trusted voices like the Daily Graphic, Joy FM, or GTV.
Reporters carried notebooks, flip phones (if they were fancy), and a good dose of courage. The newsroom was the heart of the operation, and deadlines were sacred.
Then technology walked in slowly at first, then like a gale wind. Today, the newsroom fits in your pocket, and journalists tweet news before the newsroom even hears about it. Let’s dive into how tech has re-engineered storytelling, audience engagement, and the very soul of Ghanaian journalism.
From Pen and Paper to Pixels and Platforms
Then, in the early 2000s and before, journalists travelled long distances to file stories. The tools of the trade were analogue: typewriters, cassette recorders, and physical archives. If you missed the evening news, you simply missed it.
Now, technology has flattened these barriers. Mobile phones, affordable internet, lightweight audio/video recorders, and platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Twitter have made every journalist a walking newsroom. Multimedia storytelling is now the norm video clips, photos, and voice notes, all uploaded in seconds. Even fact-checking can happen in real time using digital tools.
Case in point: Viral stories on platforms like Facebook reach millions before traditional outlets even react.
Democratising News: Everyone’s a Reporter?
The rise of “citizen journalism” means anyone with a smartphone can break news. This has democratized information but also created challenges. Misinformation, propaganda, and fake news have become real threats.
Platforms like Adomonline, MyJoyOnline, GhanaWeb and citinewsroom now compete with bloggers, influencers and even taxi drivers live-streaming events.
There has been a shift from our the old approach. Journalists must now be even more credible, faster, and more tech-literate. Newsrooms train their staff in digital ethics, social media analytics, and multimedia production skills that would’ve seemed alien to the old guard.
Broadcasting Goes Live and Interactive
Live broadcasting, once expensive and limited to major stations, is now accessible to anyone. With Facebook Live, X Spaces (formerly Twitter Spaces), and TikTok, even rural reporters can stream breaking news directly from the scene.
Stations like Multimedia Group and Citi FM use social media to broadcast political shows, interact with listeners, host polls, and receive feedback instantly. Gone are the days when the audience was silent.
I remember my days at Life FM in Nkawkaw, where we relied mostly on newspapers for news stories and monitoring the major stations for stories with no means of recording actuality.
Time has really changed.
The next wave is already here. Podcasts offer long-form storytelling, AI tools assist in transcription and fact-checking, and data journalism is emerging slowly but surely.
Newsrooms in Ghana are experimenting with AI-assisted content creation, providing transcription tools and image recognition for research, which has become a game-changer.
Podcasts and webinars are now providing media houses with the platform to reach niche audiences, to mobile journalism kits for remote reporting. We’re only beginning to scratch the surface of what’s possible.
The Challenges associated with this technology are many, and the management of newsrooms must catch up.
Speed often trumps accuracy. That’s a problem. Lack of verification is becoming a threat. With the pressure to be first, journalists sometimes publish unverified information. In 2021, during the alleged kidnapping of musician Castro and the incident involving the Takoradi “fake pregnant woman”, several outlets rushed online with breaking news only for later facts to expose inconsistencies.
Just recently, after the six female potential recruits of the Ghana Armed Forces died in a stampede, letters flew all over the internet, indicating the Deputy Defence Minister had resigned, with some media houses broadcasting without verification. It was later labelled as fake information. The rush for clicks undermined trust, and it highlighted the need to balance speed with fact-checking.
Also, Ownership of platforms is a challenge we can not overlook because Stories live on platforms that are not owned by creators, but by Facebook and YouTube. Their rules can change overnight.
Ghanaian media houses like Adom TV, Joy News, GHOne TV, Adom FM and others rely heavily on social media for live streams and content distribution. However, if Facebook randomly flags a broadcast or YouTube changes its algorithm, viewership plummets. In 2023, several Ghanaian channels were unexpectedly demonetised or shadow-banned due to stricter content rules, reminding us that these platforms are rented space and not owned territory.
Technology didn’t just change Ghanaian journalism; it shook its foundations. The role of the journalist is evolving from gatekeeper to curator, moderator, and educator.
The promise? More voices, more access, smarter storytelling. The challenge? Staying credible and innovative in a crowded, noisy world.
The path forward is clear: blend traditional values with modern tools. Journalism may look different now, but its purpose remains deep by telling the truth, giving the voiceless a platform, and holding the powerful accountable.
Ghanaian journalism is evolving. And that’s a good thing.