A contemporary sports journalist with the Multimedia Group Limited, Gary Al-Smith has charged the country’s media practitioners to adopt advocacy journalism to channel the plight of the Ghanaian people.
He said journalists who do not advocate for a course are unqualified to hold the positions they occupy.
The award-winning sports journalist was speaking in his opening statement at the maiden Metro TV-Graphic Sports Forum.
Explaining the role of journalists in a developing country to the panel members, the celebrated sports personality said he has been pressing home this philosophy for such a long time.
“I have always been pushing for years, and then now, that advocacy is where journalism should go,” he said.
Gary reiterated the point that championing the next level the professions must get to. A thing he believes yet others don’t.
He said it is impossible for media personalities that represent categories of the profession to talk about issues and not promote them.
“Any journalist right now in this country whether you’re a sports journalist, entertainment-oriented or health and you don’t add advocacy and you don’t talk about national issues, you don’t worth the platform you sit on,” he posited.
He went on to explain that “because you need to take issues head-on and advocate and act as a lightning rod yourself to put yourself on the line and so on”
Gary Al Smith said journalists who don’t address national issues that bother the nation are unripe for the profession.
By: Ernest Tetteh Kabu | Metrotvonline.com | Ghana
