The Media Capacity Enhancement Programme
The media is the Fourth Estate of the Realm in Ghana’s governance system. The media as it exists today faces some capacity challenges. It is in light of this that media stakeholders (the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association, Ghana Journalists Association, Private Newspaper Printers Association of Ghana, Institute of Public Relations – Ghana and tertiary institutions of media and communication studies, with support from the Ministry of Information) came up with a programme to help address the capacity challenges faced by the media, in order to position it to play its role of educating, informing and entertaining effectively and ethically.
The project identified that to achieve this aim, it would entail continuous pre-service and in-service training for both students and practitioners of the broad field of media to enhance their professionalism. It would also entail capacity enhancement of media houses/institutions as well as media owners which could include practice opportunities for media personnel, funding training opportunities, and operational training for media functional leaders. These training schedules would enable media personnel to acquire the necessary competencies (knowledge, skill and attitudes) to report accurately on all matters.
Overall Objective of the MECP
The overall objective of the Media Enhancement Capacity Programme (MCEP) is to enhance the capacity of media practitioners in Ghana to ensure quality and effective reportage in order to safeguard Ghana’s democracy. It is also to support quality reportage as well as timely information to aid decision making at all levels.
It is important to stress that this programme is not a substitute for capacity building by media institutions and media houses whose primary responsibility it is to build the capacity of their staff. This programme is only to complement their effort.
Target Groups
Media Practitioners
- Reporters, Correspondents, Commentators, Producers, Directors, Social Media Executives
- Editors, Programme Directors
- Production Team (Video, Motion, Camera, Sound, Light, Technicians, etc.)
- Owners of media organizations