GHANA · MEDIA
Key Facts
- —The basics Ghana media mixes state-owned and private outlets: as of the second quarter of 2026, 571 FM radio stations and 124 TV operators were on air, and 26.3 million Ghanaians were online in October 2025.
- —Why it matters Ghana ranked 39th of 180 countries in the 2026 press freedom index, up 13 places from 2025, so US readers get a fairly open news market where journalists still face alleged assaults by soldiers.
- —The numbers Ghana scored 72.20 points in the 2026 press freedom index against 67.13 in 2025, and the regulator had authorised 793 FM stations and 170 TV operators by the second quarter of 2026.
- —Who is who The state owns Graphic Communications, the New Times Corporation and broadcaster GBC; Multimedia Group, founded by Kwasi Twum in 1995, runs Joy and Adom; the National Media Commission oversees state media and the National Communications Authority licenses broadcasters.
- —What to watch Watch whether the promised misinformation bill reaches Parliament, whether the August 2026 fines of GH¢20,000 (about US$1,700) per institution improve Right to Information compliance, and where Ghana lands in the 2027 press freedom index.
- —Prediction markets Kalshi gives President John Mahama’s NDC a 59.5% chance and the opposition NPP 40.5% in its market “Ghana parliamentary election winner?” labelled “In 2028” (16 October, 10:48 a.m. ET).
- —What it means for you US travellers, investors and expats can read open, English-language Ghanaian news every day, but should weigh party-linked ownership and treat viral WhatsApp and Facebook claims with care.
Ghana media blends state-owned newspapers and broadcasters with a lively private radio, TV and online sector. This guide maps who owns what, how it is regulated and how free it is as of October 2026.
Ghana media spans state-owned newspapers, 571 operating FM radio stations and 124 broadcasting TV operators as of the second quarter of 2026. Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a Paris press-freedom group, ranked Ghana 39th of 180 countries in 2026.
For US readers, this landscape decides which sources to trust on Ghana’s politics, economy and safety. Daily news from the country is collected on the Rio Times Ghana page, and related guides are linked below.
Ghana Media by the Numbers
The National Communications Authority (NCA), the state regulator, had authorised 793 FM radio stations by the second quarter of 2026. Of those, 571 were operating on air.
The NCA had also authorised 170 TV operators by the same quarter, and 124 of them were broadcasting. The largest group is 96 free-to-air single satellite channels.
Online, 26.3 million Ghanaians were using the internet in October 2025, or 74.6% of the population, DataReportal calculated. The same report counted 41.8 million mobile connections, equal to 119% of the population.
Newspapers, From the Daily Graphic to The Chronicle
Graphic Communications Group Ltd (GCGL) publishes the Daily Graphic and is a state-owned enterprise, says the State Interests and Governance Authority. Britain’s Daily Mirror Group founded it in 1950 as the West African Graphic Company.
The state acquired it in 1962, made it a statutory body in 1971 and made it a limited company in 1999. GCGL also publishes The Mirror, Graphic Sports and Graphic Showbiz.
The Ghanaian Times belongs to the New Times Corporation, a 100% state-owned company that also publishes the Weekend Spectator. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president, founded it in 1957 as The Guinea Press.
Private titles include The Chronicle and the Daily Guide, which Western Publications publishes. RSF’s 2017 audit recorded Frederick Blay as Western Publications’ 66% owner and then acting chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The NPP is a conservative party, and the audit named Nana Kofi Coomson as The Chronicle’s owner only from online sources. Print was concentrated in 2017: the top four publishers reached 95.9% of readers, and a state-run title was the choice of 72.1%.
Broadcasters From GBC to Joy News and TV3
The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) is the public broadcaster, and the NCA counts every station GBC runs as a public station. On 19 August 2026 the National Media Commission named a new GBC board chaired by Francis Mills Robertson.
The Multimedia Group, founded in 1995 by Kwasi Twum, owns Joy 99.7 FM, the first private radio station licensed in Ghana. It calls itself the largest independent commercial media company in Ghana, with about 700 staff.
MyJoyOnline lists Adom 106.3 FM, Hitz 103.9 FM, Asempa 94.7 FM, Luv 99.5 FM and Nhyira 104.5 FM as group stations. Its TV channels are Joy News, Adom TV and Joy Prime.
Despite Group, founded by Osei Kwame Despite, ran Peace FM, Okay FM, Hello FM and Neat FM in the 2017 audit. Mr Despite also held half of U2 Company in 2017, and the company operated UTV.
In 2017 Media General Ghana owned TV3 and the 3FM and Onua FM radio stations, and ran 3News online. The audit recorded Dr Anthony Cudjoe as its sole shareholder.
Metro TV was held through Optimum Media Prime, linked in 2017 to Talal and Fadi Fattal and Kingdom Business Link Ventures Capital. Citi FM and its Citi Newsroom website also carry daily national news from Accra.
Television was concentrated in 2017, when the top four owners held a 77.4% audience share. Radio was more diverse, with the top four reaching 44.8% of listeners.
Digital Outlets and Online News
MyJoyOnline, Graphic Online, Citi Newsroom, 3News and GhanaWeb publish national news online every day. Most print and broadcast groups also run their own websites.
PeaceFMOnline belongs to Despite Group and 3NewsOnline to Media General, as RSF’s 2017 audit recorded. The Ghanaian Times has its own web edition, ghanaiantimes.com.gh.
Online news depends on phones, and 96.0% of mobile connections used 3G, 4G or 5G networks at the end of 2025. MyJoyOnline carries live TV and radio, and Citi Newsroom offers a live radio stream.
Who Owns Ghana’s Media
Ownership is hard to trace, because about a third of outlets had no ownership data at the Registrar General’s Department in 2017. Where records existed, RSF found them incomplete, at times outdated or at odds with NCA files.
RSF’s 2026 country profile says a third of outlets are owned by politicians or people tied to the leading parties. It adds that their content is largely partisan.
The state is itself a major owner through GCGL, the New Times Corporation, the Ghana News Agency and GBC. On 19 August 2026 the National Media Commission appointed new boards for all four, with Prof Samuel Kweku Hayford chairing GCGL.
It acted in consultation with the President under Article 168 of the Constitution and the National Media Commission Act (Act 449). RSF notes that the government selects the commission’s members but has little say over appointments at private outlets.
How Ghana Media Is Regulated
RSF notes that the 1992 Constitution allows new media outlets to be created without a licence. Broadcasters, however, need a frequency authorisation from the NCA, which is governed by Act 769 of 2008.
The National Media Commission (NMC) works under the 1992 Constitution and Act 449. Prof Akua Opokua Britwum of the University of Cape Coast was elected its chair in May 2025 for a three-year term.
The Right to Information Act of 2019 (Act 989) lets anyone request records from public bodies. Parliament passed it on 26 March 2019, and it received presidential assent on 21 May 2019.
In 2024 public bodies received 2,575 information requests, up 47% on 2023, and approved 68% of them, the Ghanaian Times reported. The RTI Commission received 123 review applications and resolved 73%.
On 5 August 2026 the RTI Commission fined 254 public institutions GH¢20,000 (about US$1,700) each for failing to file their 2025 reports. That totals roughly US$435,000, and the penalty rests on section 77(1) of Act 989.
RSF says the act lets journalists request information of national interest. It warns that fees for requests in languages other than English have been used to block access.
Press Freedom, the RSF Ranking and Attacks on Journalists
Ghana ranked 39th of 180 countries in RSF’s 2026 World Press Freedom Index, with a score of 72.20. In 2025 it ranked 52nd with 67.13, so it climbed 13 places.
RSF ranked Ghana 29th on political and legal measures, 49th on social, 50th on economic and 60th on security in 2026. Security improved most, from 86th in 2025.
RSF’s barometer showed no journalists killed in Ghana since 1 January 2026 and none detained, as read on 16 October 2026. Its profile still describes a serious decline in journalists’ safety, with studios attacked during live broadcasts.
RSF says most police violence against journalists goes unpunished, and reporters probing environmental issues, notably mining and salt extraction, are particularly targeted. The Ghanaian research group MRi welcomed the rise on 3 May 2026 but called it positive, not impressive.
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) condemned the alleged beating of Media General correspondent Solomon Kwame Kanaluwe by soldiers in January 2026. Its president, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, urged the military on 28 January 2026 to investigate and sanction those involved.
In September 2026 the GJA condemned a reported assault on Adom reporter Obrempongba Benjamin Kwame Owusu by soldiers in Nkwanta South. Its January statement had recalled the 30 July 2025 assault on JoyNews reporter Carlos Calony, saying the military had not acted.
Social Media, WhatsApp, TikTok and the Misinformation Debate
DataReportal counted 8.59 million social media user identities in Ghana in October 2025, equal to 24.4% of the population. It cautions that these identities may not be unique people.
Its advertising reach for late 2025 was 8.40 million on Facebook and 8.59 million on YouTube. Instagram reached 2.30 million people and X 1.17 million, or 3.3% of Ghanaians.
DataReportal’s Ghana page gives no TikTok figure, and no national WhatsApp count is available. Both apps are used in Ghana, but no audited data show how widely they carry news.
Digital costs shape online news use. Ghana’s 1% electronic transfer levy (E-levy) on mobile money ended on 2 April 2025, when President John Dramani Mahama signed its repeal.
The Ghana Revenue Authority ordered charging to stop from midnight that day and told operators to refund later deductions. For users, the end of the levy removes one cost of digital payments.
Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George announced on 9 April 2025 that the government would bring a bill against misinformation and disinformation. On 3 July 2025 he said free expression would be respected, adding that the duty not to misinform begins where it ends.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), a regional press-freedom group, welcomed the aim but urged consultation and respect for constitutional rights. As of October 2026 it is not confirmed that Parliament has passed the bill.
What It Means for US Readers
Travellers, expats and investors can follow Ghana in English every day through GBC, Joy News, Citi Newsroom, Graphic Online and GhanaWeb. Reading across state, party-linked and independent outlets gives a fuller picture than any single source.
Ownership matters when judging political news, because RSF says a third of outlets have party or political ties. Check whether a story comes from a state title such as the Daily Graphic or from a private group.
Viral WhatsApp and Facebook claims about elections, health or visas deserve extra care while the misinformation rules are still being debated. Daily Accra practicalities are covered by the Accra city page and the October 2026 Accra guide.
The actors behind the headlines are explained in the guides to who holds power in Ghana and Ghana’s geopolitics. For budgets and daily life, see the cost of living in Ghana, Ghana’s population and ethnic groups and Ghana’s regions.
What Prediction Markets Say
Kalshi, a US exchange regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, lists the market “Ghana parliamentary election winner?” labelled “In 2028”. President Mahama’s NDC was priced at 59.5% and the opposition NPP at 40.5% on 16 October, 10:48 a.m. ET.
The NDC is the centre-left National Democratic Congress of President John Dramani Mahama, who won the December 2024 election. The NPP is the conservative New Patriotic Party, whose candidate Mahamudu Bawumia lost that vote.
About 10,167 contracts had traded on the NDC side and 4,826 on the NPP side, so the market is thinly traded. Media matters to this contest because party-linked owners, state-media boards and social platforms will shape the 2028 coverage.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What Is Not Known
Ownership details for Despite Group, Media General, the Daily Guide, The Chronicle and Metro TV date from RSF’s 2017 audit. Current shareholdings may differ, and 2026 company filings were not available to confirm them.
No audited count of WhatsApp or TikTok users in Ghana is available, and current newspaper circulation figures are not public. A recent audience ranking of Ghana’s radio and TV stations is not available either.
It is not confirmed whether Parliament has received or passed the misinformation bill announced in 2025. The owners of Citi FM and GhanaWeb are also not confirmed from company filings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns the biggest media groups in Ghana?
The state owns Graphic Communications, the New Times Corporation and GBC. Private Multimedia Group, founded in 1995, owns Joy and Adom, and Despite Group and Media General were large owners in 2017.
Is the press free in Ghana?
Ghana ranked 39th of 180 countries in RSF’s 2026 index, up from 52nd in 2025. The Ghana Journalists Association still condemns alleged assaults on reporters by soldiers.
What are the main newspapers in Ghana?
The Daily Graphic and the Ghanaian Times are state-owned titles. The Daily Guide and The Chronicle are private papers.
Who regulates Ghana’s media?
The National Media Commission oversees media standards and state-media boards, and the National Communications Authority licenses radio and TV. The RTI Commission handles disputes over access to public information.
What is Ghana’s Right to Information Act?
Act 989 lets anyone request records from public bodies. Parliament passed it on 26 March 2019, and public bodies received 2,575 requests in 2024.
How many people use social media in Ghana?
DataReportal counted 8.59 million social media user identities in October 2025, or 24.4% of the population. It also counted 26.3 million internet users in October 2025.
Does Ghana have a misinformation law?
The government announced a misinformation and disinformation bill in April 2025. As of October 2026 it is not confirmed that Parliament has passed it.
Sources: RSF, World Press Freedom Index, Ghana country page (2026 and 2025); National Communications Authority, authorised radio stations, Q2 2026; National Communications Authority, authorised TV stations, Q2 2026; National Communications Authority, about us; DataReportal, Digital 2026: Ghana; RSF and Media Foundation for West Africa, Media Ownership Monitor Ghana 2017; Media Ownership Monitor Ghana, Despite Group of Companies; Media Ownership Monitor Ghana, Media General Ghana Limited; Media Ownership Monitor Ghana, Western Publications Limited; Media Ownership Monitor Ghana, General Portfolio Limited; State Interests and Governance Authority, Graphic Communications Group Limited; State Interests and Governance Authority, New Times Corporation; Multimedia Group, corporate site; MyJoyOnline, Multimedia Group station and channel list (page footer); Graphic Online, NMC inaugurates GCGL board, 28 August 2026; Graphic Online, new state-media boards, 19 August 2026; Ghana News Agency, new National Media Commission chair; Ghanaian Times, Right to Information Commission five years on; MyJoyOnline, RTI Commission fines, 5 August 2026; Citi Newsroom, Media Research Institute on the 2026 ranking; Citi Newsroom, GJA statement, January 2026; Ghana News Agency, GJA statement on Nkwanta South, September 2026; Graphic Online, E-levy abolished, April 2025; Media Foundation for West Africa, misinformation bill, April 2025; GhanaFact, misinformation bill, July 2025; International IDEA, Ghana December 2024 election; Kalshi market data from its public API (all accessed 16 October 2026).