2009 (Volume 1, Number 1)
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Item The Relationship among Communication, Leadership Behaviour and Performance(Journal of Communications, Media & Society, 2009-02) Semarco, Stanley K. M.The present study explored the relationship among communication, leadership behaviours and performance. It was hypothesised that leader's communication would predict the leader’s exhibition of leadership behaviours and performance. Participants (104 students) were asked to provide communication, leadership behaviour and performance ratings of lecturers within classroom instructional setting. Results indicated that communication was a better predictor of performance and choice of leadership behaviours. The current study provides support in demonstrating the validity and practicability of using communication dimensions as a predictive variable of leadership success. The findings were discussed.Item The Media and democracy in Ghana: The Challenges of Ensuring Good Governance(Journal of Communications, Media & Society, 2009-02) Gasu, JohnThe attitudes and cultures of the past continue to dominate Ghana media’s engagement with political leaders. This media landscape since the decolonizing period has been a binary one as expressed in for and against - incumbents. The authoritarian character of governance in the past gave a genesis to it. The protracted authoritarian and illiberal regimes before the inauguration of the 4th Republic closed various modes of expression resulting in the calcification of antagonistic relationships. The democratic transformation since 1992 has not really changed the mode of engagement. With some degree of democratic consolidation, focus has significantly shifted towards ensuring good governance, which encapsulates a government based on rule of law, political accountability and transparency. The media's role in ensuring that power-wielders operate within the standards required for 'good governance’ is critical. However, the effectiveness of the media is blunted by its deep-seated partisanship. The credibility crisis that afflicts it makes readership to perceive the media as a fronting meant for political vilification and capitalization. The paper examines the issues that generate the credibility problems and concludes that unless the media transcends the cultures of the past its relevancy in ensuring good governance cannot be assured.Item Reviewing the Electoral Processes in Ghana: Elections and the Voting Behaviour of Ghanaians in Perspective(Journal of Communications, Media & Society, 2009-02) Adu-Bempah Brobbey, CollinsThis work focuses on the 'voting behaviour of Ghanaians and elections in Ghana. 'It is worthy of note that the world over, particularly in democratic nations, elections are held periodically to either change the incumbent government or retained it. Most of the time, when elections are seen to be unduly manipulated to the advantage of a particular party or candidate, then the people become disillusioned in the electoral process. This study explores the rationale behind the voting behaviour of Ghanaians. Specifically, the study seeks to unearth the ethics or principles i. e. (voting behaviour) in general, on one hand, and the Ghanaians conception of elections With special emphasis on the preadolescent. Consequently, the study looks at the correlation between a Ghanaian's voting behaviour and participatory democracy. Using the descriptive approach in general and the triangulation method involving quantitative and qualitative analysis. The study concludes that the voting behaviour of Ghanaians is informed by paternalism, partisanship or neo-patrimonialism. Finally, the work sets standard or criteria for the selection of both presidential and parliamentary candidates.Item Pre-testing as an Integral Part of a Public Communications Campaign: A case study of the campaign against speeding in Ghana(Journal of Communications, Media & Society, 2009-02) Rockson, KwekuThe objective of this study was to show how critical pre-testing is, in any public communications campaign by looking at the campaign against speeding undertaken by the National Road Safety Commission. It entailed the use of the qualitative approach for conducting individual in-depth interviews among 130 respondents. The media used for the pretesting were TV, radio, posters and a brochure, covering the three main concepts: speed Limiter/Speed Sticker, Guardian Angel and Speeding Kills. As far as comprehension was concerned the Speed Limiter concept was clear mainly for the TV and poster. The Guardian Angel was however not very clear to respondents. In terms of appeal, the commercials were regarded as appropriate and respondents did not have any dislikes, neither were there any offensive aspects. They indicated that they would be motivated to change their behaviour by the commercials. The respondents also found the music and concepts appropriate and culturally suitable. A number of suggestions were made, like the need for the people in the Guardian Angel concept to wear seat belts, improve on the sound, make the posters more explanatory and show other causes of accidents. Utilising benefits from other pre-testing activities worldwide, a case is made for incorporating pretesting in all public communication campaigns.Item Exploring New Approaches to Children’s Broadcast Programme Production: The Concept of Child Participation(Journal of Communications, Media & Society, 2009-02) Akrofi-Quarcoo, SarahThe paper discusses the phenomenon of child participation in contemporary Ghanaian children's programmes. It is based on an exploratory study of selected programmes - Curious Minds, Choice Children's Channel and Smart Kids - aired on Radio Ghana, Choice FM and Ghana Television respectively. The study examined the production processes and content of the three programmes with a view to establishing the extent to which child participation ideals are incorporated in production. As background to this paper an overview of children's programmes in Ghana before and after broadcast de-regulation in the early 1990s is provided. The concept of child participation is defined. Subsequently, the paper discusses child participation in practice in the light of some critiques and concerns. It examines production approaches employed in the selected children's programmes as well as the content of the three programmes in the light of children's agenda setting roles. Challenges and factors that account for the adoption of particular approaches are further discussed. The paper argues that full child participation holds great promise for transforming content and programme production practices in contemporary children's programmes. However, programmes owned and controlled by children are more likely than those owned by the stations and individual producers to encourage the full child participation approach.Item English in Tertiary Institutions and the Issues of Falling Standards: Expectations, Lessons and Challenges(Journal of Communications, Media & Society, 2009-02) Fosu, ModestusThis paper dwells on the mounting problem of English language incompetence among a significant number of graduates in Ghana. This is an issue that has received and continues to attract wide discussion in academic and media circles. It is incontrovertible that many prominent people, most of them products of our institutions of higher learning, are unable to use English - spoken and written - in a contextually, socially and technically approved and desirable manner. This communication problem calls for concern because of the developmental role of information and communication in the economic, political, technological, and social challenges of today’s global existence. The way English language - both as a school subject or discipline and as a competency to be mastered— is taught and treated with indifference at the pre tertiary and tertiary levels accounts for this unfortunate state of affairs. This paper, therefore, argues that the nation, tertiary institutions, and lecturers perceive this problem as a “crisis ” and take definite steps that will strengthen the English language ability of graduates, irrespective of their specific courses of study.Item Country Branding: Promoting Investment, Tourism and Export through Country Communication Management and Social Engineering(Journal of Communications, Media & Society, 2009-02) Akotia, MathiasCountry branding, which is about employing strategic marketing to promote a country's identity, has become a strategic tool of a country's competitiveness. However, only few developing countries have articulated and implemented a branding strategy. This paper examines the competitive advantage a country brand engenders for developing countries-in terms of exports, inward investment, tourism, and positive image. Furthermore, emphasising country branding as a communication management and social engineering, this paper argues that there is more than persuasive rationale for a country branding strategy to integrate and to direct the full range of political, economic, cultural and social programmes towards national development, wealth creation and social cohesion.