Browsing by Author "Dzisah, Wilberforce Sefakor"

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Media Representation and the Ghanaian Youth
(Journal of Communications, Media & Society, 2017-05) Dzisah, Wilberforce Sefakor
Media portrayal of the youth in most societies, particularly Ghana, over the years has been one of controversy. The perception of the youth as being dangerous, reckless and posing a threat to the future of the nation has been the main driver for this study. Using a well-thought-out objective and research questions, this paper has strived to tease out some useful understandings concerning notions of crime, violence, education and politics relative to the youth in Ghana as represented in the Ghanaian media/press. In these contested constructions, a well-thought-out research methodology involving both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to address the issues framing the study. While the quantitative aspect used content analysis to help unpack statistical variables, the qualitative dimension involving textual analysis delved into aspects of literary deployments that provide ample testimony of the representations of the youth. The analysis indicated that images of youth involved in criminal activities were dominant in the media/press. Most of the images presented about young people are not just quantitatively dominated by a one-sided negative image of youth, but also to some degree, qualitatively exaggerated and misleading.
The Print Media Coverage of Ghana’s Legislature
(Journal of Communications, Media & Society, 2016) Dzisah, Wilberforce Sefakor
The paper researched print media coverage of Ghana’s Parliament using the content analytic category to determine whether the media serve as the tribunes of the larger society. Two Ghanaian newspapers, the state-owned Daily Graphic and the privately-owned Daily Guide were used for the study. A total of Seventy-Two (72) editions of both newspapers were selected, and the coding process produced Ninety (90) news items for analyses. While it has been established that the media as the ‘Fourth Power’ within the State are essential in performing its informational function, it also emerged that in their coverage of Parliament, the media, represented in this study by the two most circulated newspapers in Ghana were not too effective in their educational function. The media have fallen short of providing the required political and operational debates to engage the citizenry. In this paper, while the findings are significant in alerting the media to the malaise, it also emphasises the need to urge them to review their strategies in order to activate citizens to become aware of the wider and more inclusive debates. This can help engender critical public opinion formation and also promote active citizens to appreciate social, economic and political importance of Parliament and its role in the development of Ghana.
Theoretical Transformations: Tradition, Postmodernism and Participation
(Journal of Communications, Media & Society, 2012-03) Dzisah, Wilberforce Sefakor
The emergence of new technologies has spawned new social movements across the globe, notably in established democracies and countries experimenting with the liberal idea. The fulcrum of this transformation is dictated by the new media's gradual possession of the centre in activating citizens' participation and ensuring publicness in our daily lives. The thrust of this transformation calls for a rethinking and shifts in theoretical arguments and postulation. As we move away from traditional approaches and understanding of political participation in the contemporary public spheres, we must begin to forge new ways of theorising on issues of participation and publicness. This shift could be anchored in what we might term civic participation -actions outside the political realm.