THE ROLE OF BROADCAST MEDIA IN A DEMOCRATIC DISPENSATION: A CASE STUDY OF THE GHANAIAN NEWS MEDIA IN THE 2016 GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Abstract

This research highlights the outcome of investigation into the role of the broadcast media in a democratic dispensation using the 2016 General Election in Ghana as case study. The purpose of the study was to find out how the Ghanaian broadcast media covered the election campaign, be it in a horse race or issue based. Other issues studied included the level of media coverage given to the contesting political parties as well as the sector of policies mentioned in the coverage of the parties’ campaign messages. This study found out that the broadcast media in Ghana played a democratic participatory role by providing electorates with options through their coverage of relevant issues, and also served as an arena for the various contesting political parties to sell their message during the 2016 General Election. It also revealed that the two major political parties, NDC and NPP were given prominent media coverage which reflected in the results of the election. The smaller parties on the other hand received just about twenty percent media coverage combined. Compared to prevailing trends in the western press, it was refreshing to see an issue based coverage. Even though the Ghanaian news media covered the 2016 elections in an issue based manner, it is worrying to see a skewed proportion of coverage for the two main political parties (NPP and NDC). This has the tendency to drag the country into a default 2 party state system.