The Minister for Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has urged stakeholders in the radio industry to be tolerant of multiple views and perspectives in the delivery of radio programming as part of efforts to improve diversity on radio.
Speaking on the theme of the 2020 World Radio Day – Diversity in Radio, Mr. Nkrumah observed that “there is a growing tendency of many of us who want to force our opinions down the ears and the minds of everybody else and if it is not our opinion, then everybody else is wrong”.
Mr. Nkrumah said it was crucial that industry players increase the level of tolerance while expressing their views to ensure that diversity penetrates through radio signals and affect content and everything else from the medium.
The Minister who is also MP for Ofoase Ayirebi also encouraged that media platforms design radio content that will promote diversity of opinions from the marginalized and the minority.
“The views of these kinds of people’ must be reflected in the kind of conversations we want to have so that we don’t end up being the judges of the discussion but the consumer at home benefits from the various perspectives and in the end makes up his or her mind” he added.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) set aside 13th February of each year to celebrates radio as a way of educating people, providing information and promoting freedom of expression across varied cultures.
According to UNESCO, the day was set aside to primarily “raise greater awareness among the public and the media of the importance of radio; to encourage decision-makers to establish and provide access to information through radio; as well as to enhance networking and international cooperation among broadcasters”.