A new multimedia group, Zed Multimedia, has been launched in Accra with the aim to deliver compelling and high-quality content across its various platforms – The New Finder Newspaper, Zed 101.9fm, Zed TV, Zedonline and Zed Tech.
The media house is committed to professionalism, integrity, diversity and innovation, with a focus on Lifestyle, Leisure and Business (LLB) content.
Prominent Speakers at the official launch took the opportunity to express their concerns about the current state of media practice and public discourse in Ghana.
The prevailing trend of framing every issue along partisan lines, coupled with a perceived lack of depth in public discussions, was the key theme addressed by the speakers.
The Speakers lamented the dominance of partisan politics in shaping public narratives, noting that it often leads to a polarised and less constructive discourse.
They emphasised the need for media houses to rise above political affiliations and focus on providing balanced, informed and unbiased information to the public.
The Speakers highlighted what they referred to as the “poverty of knowledge” in the public sphere, despite the multitude of voices and information sources available.
They expressed concern about the quality of public discussions and urged media houses to play a more significant role in elevating the level of discourse, by providing well-researched and insightful content.
The falling standards of media practice were also discussed, with Speakers urging media organisations to prioritise accuracy, integrity and professionalism.
They emphasised the importance of maintaining high ethical standards in journalism to rebuild trust with the audience.
Prof. Stephen Adei
Renowned public servant, educationist, and academic, Professor Stephen Adei, challenged management Zed Multimedia to be a voice of integrity in the media landscape of Ghana.
Speaking at the official launch of Zed Multimedia in East Legon, Accra, Professor Adei emphasized the importance of guarding against misinformation and falsehood across all media platforms.
He urged the management of Zed Multimedia to take a strong stance against misreporting and intentional misinformation, highlighting the irreversible damage caused by spreading false information.
He stated that anyone deliberately misinforming on Zed Multimedia should face consequences, including outright dismissal, emphasizing the responsibility of the media house to provide accurate and credible information.
“Anyone who deliberately misinforms on Zed Multimedia must be fired because what goes out does not change. You cannot change false information,” he stated emphatically.
Drawing from personal experience as a victim of misinformation, Prof. Adei said that certain misrepresentations made about him in the media space many years ago, though proven false, still persist in online search engines.
He underscored the long-lasting impact of misinformation and stressed the need for media organisations to prioritise accuracy.
Mr Kwame Pianim
On his part, Economist Kwame Pianim emphasised professionalism, balance and dynamism in the media. He maintained that “the media, the fourth estate of the realm, is critical for checks and balances and in any democracy, the absence of a vibrant dynamic media, committed to truth and integrity spells trouble”.
He lamented the falling standards on the Ghanaian media landscape and the general societal decadence and prayed that “the coming of Zed Multimedia will change the narrative.”
Dr. Pastor Mensah Otabil
Founder and General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), Dr. Pastor Mensah Otabil, challenged Zed Multimedia to dare to be different in a heavily stereotyped media environment in Ghana, if it wants to succeed.
He said the new media organization would have to be extremely innovative and excellent to thrive in a media market that has already been defined, to become a media house of choice.
“You cannot rest one moment because the forces that drive your market are going to try to drive you to follow the general trend that everybody is manifesting “, he stated.
To achieve this, he said management and staff of the organization must be ready to bring on new and innovative ideas and be in a pole position to be able to train themselves to think differently.
“It is possible in an environment where everybody is going one way and for you to go the opposite way and still thrive,” he emphasized.
He noted, for example, that the media house can decide to start with a totally different set of programming and to do everything the opposite, way from what has come to be known as the winning formula for radio and television in Ghana.
“There is nothing that says you should have politicians coming to speak on your morning show. You can decide never to invite any parliamentarian or any NDC OR NPP on your show and still be very successful. It is going to be tough but
Nana Osafo Kantanka
Nana Osafo Kantanka, Executive Chairman of Zed Multimedia, outlined the media outfit’s commitment to delivering a distinct blend of lifestyle, leisure and credible business programming during the launch in Accra.
Emphasising the platform’s dedication to providing good, sustainable services, Nana Kantanka expressed Zed Multimedia’s commitment to excellence and improving the quality of human life.
He articulated the vision of driving Zed into a global, ethical, sustainable media of choice, emphasising the goal of becoming the most respected entity in the media space.
This vision involves the creation of innovative and captivating content that inspires, educates and entertains the global audience within the framework of impartiality, accuracy and independence.
Nana Kantanka highlighted Zed Multimedia’s unique focus on Lifestyle, Leisure and Business (LLB), placing the well-being of listeners, readers and viewers at the core and providing them with avenues for recreation.
The platform aims to distinguish itself by promoting, protecting, and sustaining its business while offering a new and compelling media experience for its audience.
