The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has decided to sever all ties with Media General, including TV3, 3 FM, and Onua FM, citing persistent issues with perceived bias and unprofessional behavior from the media house. This move, announced in a statement from the party’s communications directorate on Sunday, January 26, 2025, follows months of escalating concerns.
In a detailed press release signed by the NPP’s communications director, Richard Ahiagbah, the party expressed its frustration with what it described as “unfair and biased moderation” by some of Media General’s hosts. The statement emphasized that the party had tried to resolve these issues behind the scenes, but their concerns had gone unaddressed.
“We have made repeated attempts to engage with the management and production teams at Media General,” Ahiagbah said in the release. “Unfortunately, despite assurances that the situation would improve, the pattern of biased and unprofessional conduct continues unabated. Therefore, we are left with no choice but to withdraw from their platforms.”
The statement pointed to specific incidents that further fueled the NPP’s decision, including an inflammatory comment directed at former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo by a regular guest on a show hosted by Keminni Amanor. Despite the remark being widely regarded as disrespectful, the host allegedly did nothing to intervene, only laughing off the comment, a situation the NPP described as “unacceptable.”
“We were shocked by the lack of action from the host, who not only failed to correct the remark but allowed it to go unchallenged,” Ahiagbah noted. “This level of unprofessionalism is something we simply cannot tolerate.”
In addition to this specific incident, the NPP also criticized the overall structure of political discussions on Media General’s platforms. The party accused the network of regularly stacking political panels with individuals who are known to favor opposing political views, leaving the NPP representative outnumbered and often unable to contribute meaningfully to discussions.
“This isn’t a genuine platform for debate. It’s a show designed to make it appear as if they’re offering balanced coverage, but the reality is, the deck is stacked against us,” Ahiagbah argued. “This is not what we expect from a media house that serves the public.”
The NPP concluded its statement with a call for Media General to reconsider its editorial approach and adopt a more neutral stance, one that prioritizes fairness and the free exchange of ideas. “We hope that Media General will reflect on its current trajectory and work toward becoming a platform that genuinely serves the information needs of Ghanaians, without promoting any political agenda,” the statement read.
This decision marks a significant move in the ongoing tensions between the NPP and certain media outlets, highlighting the growing role of media in shaping political discourse in Ghana.
This approach explores the broader implications for media neutrality in Ghana
