ASSESSMENT OF ONLINE JOURNALISM ON THE MEDIA LANDSCAPE IN GHANA

               

                                                                   DEFINITION

   Digital journalism also known as online journalism is a contemporary form of journalism where editorial content is distributed via the Internet as opposed to publishing via print or broadcast. However, the primary aim of journalism, which is news and features on current affairs, is presented solely or in combination as text, audio, video, or some other interactive forms which is disseminated through digital media technology.


                                                                   BRIEF HISTORY

   The first type of digital journalism, called teletext, was invented in the UK in 1970. Teletext is a system allowing viewers to choose which stories they wish to read and see it immediately. The information provided through teletext is brief and instant, similar to the information seen in digital journalism today.


                  CONTENTS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF ONLINE MEDIA JOURNALISM

   With traditional media such as TV, radio and print, where consumer relies on the ability of the producer, editor, etc. to structure how content is presented – in other words, the output. New media or online media is a combination of both audio, video, photos and texts. It allows the users or the audience to take control of what they want to see or publish. Examples include hyperlinks which allow the reader to dictate their experience of ‘content’ through their choice of clicks. With online video and audio, the user can pause, fast-forward, etc.  and if it has been split into pieces, the user can choose which bit of a longer video or audio piece they experience. RSS allows users to create their own media product, combining feeds from newspapers, broadcasters, bloggers, and even Google News search.

   In terms of input, again, the old media models were one that relied on the producer, editor, etc. to decide on the editorial purpose. The audience then had certain avenues of communication or giving feedback such as, letter to the editor, radio phone-in etc. but shaping, editing and distribution of contents was still up to editors and producers. Today, Blogs, podcasts, vlogs, YouTube, Facebook, WhatSapp, Twitter, Snapchat etc. allow the user to publish their own media contents. And again, Forums, message boards, coatrooms and comments boxes on mainstream media blogs allow the audience to discuss and influence the content of mainstream media, as well as engaging with each other, bypassing the media producers.


                                   INTRODUCTION OF ONLINE JOURNALISM IN GHANA

   The overall assessment of online journalism in Ghana as it appears today, is broad. But having understood the definition, description, characteristic and contents of online journalism, in this short paragraph, I will explain how online journalism made its way in Ghana. Firstly, fewer barriers to entry, lowered costs, and diverse computer networking technologies have led to the widespread practice of digital journalism in Ghana especially with the emergence of mobile smartphones and IPad. Online journalism started creeping into Ghana in the early 2000’s as people started making use of internet services through office computers and internet cybercafés. Online content those days were mostly foreign and from foreign websites such as BBC, CNN, New York Times etc. But as time progresses and internet, computers and mobile gadgets continues to gain more acceptability in the Ghanaian society, local media outlets began to see the need to go online, hence local news websites with local news contents started to emerge.


                                THE ACCEPTANCE OF ONLINE JOURNALISM IN GHANA

    From the year 2000 to 2010, giving the robust development in computers and internet technology, it became important to journalists in Ghana to move with technology, hence local online journalism in Ghana began to grow. As people continue to acquire internet enabled devices such as phones and laptop, the use of the internet as a source of information and communication continues to increase and gain more acceptability among Ghanaians.


                      ONLINE MEDIA/JOURNALISTIC WEBSITES/PLATFORMS IN GHANA

    As the accessibility of the internet in Ghana continues to expand even to the rural areas, and social media/communication platforms introduced such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp etc. media websites in Ghana also continues to proliferate. Today, virtually all the media outlets in Ghana have gone online linking their news and journalistic websites to their social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to attract more readers and for easy accesses to their various websites.


                EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE NUMEROUS MEDIA WEBSITES IN GHANA

    Examples of some of the online journalistic websites/platforms in Ghana are: Peacefmonline.com, Citifmonline.com, Ghanaweb.com, Graphicsonline.com, 3news.com.gh, Myjoyonline.com, Gbcghana.com, Thestatesmanonline.com, metroworldgh.tv, etvghana.com, tvafricaonline.com, kwese.com (viasat1), dailyguideafrica.com, myradiogoldlive.com, xyzbroadcasting.com, 1053hotfm.com, bridgetvonline.com, newsmanonline.com and many more other websites loaded with news, information, entertainment, health, sports and education. These platform/websites provides or publishes various articles either in texts, videos, photos or audio aimed at informing, educating and entertaining their readers.
                            

                                    
                                 THE OVERRALL IMPACT OF ONLINE JOURNALISM IN GHANA
                                                                   POSITIVE IMPACTS

    The visible impact of online journalism in Ghana is huge. Without any iota of doubts, online journalism has revolutionized the dissemination of news and information in Ghana. We virtually have news and current happenings across the country just at our fingertips. With social media, daily happenings are almost reported immediately. In some ways, almost everyone with a smartphone has become a mini journalist – you can capture events, accidents etc. and post them online instantly through social media and it goes viral. Sometimes, major media outlets report contents giving credits to individuals who first posted it online through their various social media handles. These days one doesn’t need to own a radio or TV set or purchase a newspaper before you could get news or information, rather all you need now is to own a smartphone with internet connection and you will have access to uncountable news and information as a result of online media journalism. Because of online journalism, people almost get informed instantly and at the same time anywhere in the world at their convenience. Ghanaian in diaspora doesn’t need to tune in to Ghana TV or Radio stations to get news and information of the current happenings back home, all they need to do is to log online with their phones and laptops read and see video of the happenings in Ghana. Today, you can be reading news, watching TV programs and listening to radio all in your smartphone.


                                                                      DISADVANTAGES
   However, as we look at the various impacts of online journalism in Ghana, we should also consider the many disadvantages it has in the society. Firstly, online journalism has become a threat to   traditional mediums such as TV, Radio, Newspapers and Magazines. Today, people tend to lose interest in reading newspapers and magazines as a result of variety of articles found online. The listenership and viewership of radio and Television is at serious decline as a result of the impact of online journalism in the society. The most striking of all the impact that people tend to forget is that even music, both audio/video and movies are now downloaded online, thereby causing a serious decline in the sales purchases of audio/video CDs and DVDs.

                                                                      NEGATIVE IMPACTS
    On the negative impacts, online journalism has paved way for the increase of fake news contents and articles online capable of misleading the general public and the society at large. Today, people deliberately publish fabricated information only to attract viewership or readership to their various blogging websites. So, there are possibilities that most of the news and gossips we read online are not true or maybe concocted.



                                                                           CONCLUSION
  In conclusion, the overall positive impacts of online journalism in Ghana outweighs the negative impacts. Today, major media houses now have four major means of advertising for their customers – online, on Radio, on TV and on Newspapers. As online journalism grows and expands, every journalist should cultivate the opportunities thein and make good fortunes. These days, to own a blogging website is relatively cheap and highly affordable. I advise all of us to at least make sure we own a blogging website in order to benefit from the growing industry of online journalism.








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