Media personality, Bernard Avle has urged fellow journalists to prioritize integrity amidst the growing trend of celebrity status within the profession.
During an episode of his morning show, Citi Breakfast Show, on Thursday, April 11, 2024, Avle reflected on the evolving landscape of journalism, expressing concerns about the emphasis on fame and social media metrics over journalistic ethics.
He reminisced about the earlier days of Ghanaian television, particularly in the late 1990s, noting the shift in both actors and journalists towards seeking celebrity status.
Mr Avle emphasized the need for purity and professionalism within the media, advocating for journalists to uphold traditional values amidst changing times.
Avle stressed the significance of maintaining journalistic integrity in the face of external pressures to prioritize popularity and social media presence. He highlighted the importance of accuracy, fairness, and quality in storytelling, urging young journalists to focus on mastering the basics rather than chasing superficial metrics.
The seasoned journalist lamented the decline of in-depth journalism and critical thinking, attributing it to the prevalence of quick, shallow content. He warned against the consequences of such trends, emphasizing the importance of returning to journalistic fundamentals.
“Those days, those our actors were good, these days things have changed even the journalists have changed, we’ve become celebrities,” Avle remarked during the show. “Things are not the same anymore. Those days, those who were in the journalism profession, they were professionals, they were even working at other places and they were doing part-time. Of course, you can’t do part-time anymore, and media people were role models. We need purity; we need to accept that things have changed.
We need to have some puritans in the media, people who will have to stick to what they have to do and do it “.
Mr Avle emphasized the importance of maintaining journalistic integrity amidst the lure of fame and social media metrics.
“A young journalist now, the thing they are now being told about what the profession needs, influencers, and all those things. Do your story, be accurate, and be fair, you can have 20, 000 followers on Facebook but that is not the work, your real work is to make sure when you do the story, you should make sure it is well written, your grammar is correct, you attribute it rightly. These are the basics but people are missing it
Some guy came to me that he wants to come and work here, he has so many people following him, his grammar is even wrong and people are following him all over and he wants to be a media guy, how can you be a media guy when you can’t write English or whatever language you want to use to do the media “
“We can’t even read thorough stories because most stories are like four paragraphs and they’re moving to the next, it is even changing the way we think because people are not able to think deeply. You can’t sit quietly and meditate for two hours because everything is quick, we creating a generation of people who are dumb we need to go back to some fundamentals”
“The basis of journalism is verification of information to put out because now I am using this to advise myself as well because it’s changing, followership, stardom when people see you they want autographs and you think you are a big guy, you are not any big guy , you are a simple journalist, never forget who you are. Don’t let people define you because of your big car”
Mr Avle concluded by reminding fellow journalists of the essence of their profession: the verification and dissemination of accurate information.
He urged them to resist the allure of fame and to remain grounded in their identity as journalists, regardless of external influences.
Bernard Avle’s remarks underscore his dedication to upholding journalistic standards and his commitment to preserving the integrity of the profession.
As a respected and influential media personality in Ghana, his insights carry weight and serve as a guiding force for journalists seeking to navigate the evolving media landscape.
