Seasoned journalist, Dr. Randy Abbey, is alarmed at the proliferation of fast food journalism in the Ghanaian media fraternity where there is rapid spread and growth of sensationalized, superficial, and hastily prepared news reporting, often prioritizing clickbait headlines and ratings over factual accuracy and in-depth analysis.
The host of Good Morning Ghana on Metro TV strongly criticized media houses for their failure to fact-check Ghanaian Chef Ebenezer Smith’s claims of being the new record holder for the longest cooking marathon (individual) in the world.
“This is July fool, why will anyone think they can get away with this?” Abbey asked on his show.
“How is that possible, all the journalists and media representatives have Google on their phones and they didn’t bother to check?”
Chef Smith had announced on July 2, 2024, at a press conference in Accra that he had been awarded a certificate by Guinness World Records for cooking for 820 hours, setting a new record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual.
This claim was later debunked by the Guinness World Records. However, prior to the denial the authenticity of his claim was questioned by some Ghanaians on social media.
Randy Abbey could not fathom how the mainstream media fell for such a lie, especially when fact-checking information is readily available in the digital age.
“The media presence was huge, all the media houses were there… You’re using your smartphones to take pictures and nothing prompts you to fact-check?” He lamented.
Chef Smith started his cook-a-thon journey on February 1, 2024, and ended it on March 6, 2024, after cooking for 820 hours. He had initially targeted 1,200 hours.
By: Vanessa Edotom Boateng | Metrotvonline.com | Ghana
