The newly inaugurated nine-member board for Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL)
The Chairman of National Media Commission (NMC), Kwasi Gyan-Appenteng, has observed that newspaper production has become very expensive in recent times.
According to him, social media was mounting undue pressure on the newspaper business.
Nana Gyan-Appenteng disclosed this yesterday in Accra when he inaugurated a nine-member board for Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL).
“Today, newspaper both as business and format for dissemination of news is facing its biggest challenge in several years currently. Today newspapers are at a disadvantage compared with other channels of communication. Newsprint is expensive, news gathering is even more expensive, delivery of newspapers is not only expensive but incurs a carbon footprint that makes it environmentally unfriendly.”
The chairman said newspapers in the country need to reposition themselves amidst the new web order, saying newspapers in general were losing readers because they were failing to excite them.
He charged the board to stay abreast of the new trends.
“Graphic must live up to its billing and begin the process of redefining its role and indeed the future of newspaper, not only in our country but in the sub-region, as it once did. Luckily, the idea that newspapers are losing audiences does not mean that they are less important to society today.”
Nana Gyan-Appenteng argued that the role of newspaper was more critical to growing democracies today than in the past and has the tendency of keeping historical facts.
He stressed the need to adhere closely to the ethics of the profession.
The board, made up of professionals, was carefully put together, he said.
Professionals as they are, they should not hinder their work through ego, but be guided by humility and respect for each other.
Professor Kwame Karikari, a renowned media trainer, is the chairman of the reconstituted board, with Adjoa Yeboah-Afari, Bismark Emmanuel Badu, Osei Afriyie, Dr Rita Larsen Reindiorf, Nana Otuo Acheampong, Dr Mawuli Adjei, Mohammed Yusuf Twumasi and Ken Ashigbey as members of the board.
Prof Karikari said, “We will study the current challenges and also look at the progress made and build on it to make Graphic the best.”
He promised to explore new areas to position Graphic in the midst of the growing challenges facing the newspaper industry.
By Emmanuel Kubi