Newspaper Coverage of the 2012 General Elections: A Study of the Ghanaian Times and the Daily Graphic

Abstract

Press freedom is a core aspiration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and is widely seen as underpinning democratic freedoms such as the right to free speech and association. Media outlets are crucial to the exercise of freedom of expression because they provide the platform through which this right is effectively exercised. The public depend on the media to inform them of current events and this is more crucial the democratic process where it becomes outlets are channels through which citizens can communicate with each other and acting as a facilitator of informed debate between diverse social actors, encouraging the non-violent resolution of disputes. This study sought to find out whether the media, particularly the Ghanaian Times and the Daily Graphic newspapers provided adequate coverage during the 2012 general elections in Ghana. The study hinges on the Content Analysis theory as well Agenda Setting, Watchdog theories. The study was based on the assumption that media are more likely to give prominence to election stories concerning powerful politicians and government official instead of setting the agenda for public discourse. The findings derived from the study supported this assumption. A significant percentage of space that was devoted by the Ghanaian Times and the Daily Graphic newspapers contained stories about the political elite and government officials. This study, it is hoped will serve as guide to the media to be more responsive and provide adequate coverage for the satisfaction of all segments of the public.