The President of the New Media Association, Eugene Osafo Nkansah, has called on political leaders and lawmakers to stop treating new media practitioners as unprofessional individuals who have little to contribute to national development.
He said bloggers, influencers and content creators play an important role in shaping public discussions, breaking news and setting the agenda, yet they are often excluded from conversations about policies and laws affecting their work.
Speaking during a Joy Prime dialogue on the topic ‘The Politics of Insults: Where Do We Draw the Line?’, Mr Osafo Nkansah urged political leaders to recognise the growing influence of new media practitioners and involve them in efforts to promote responsible communication and national development.
“People speak about us without even involving us. People are making laws for our platforms without even speaking to us because they see us as small boys with phones and always putting phones in people’s eyes, people’s faces,” he said.
He argued that the perception of new media practitioners as people who simply use their phones to record events overlooks their growing influence on public discourse.
“We are breaking news. We are making things go viral even before the mainstream media picks it up. We actually have a voice. We have numbers,” he said.
Mr Osafo Nkansah called for greater collaboration between political leaders and new media practitioners, urging those in authority to support the sector through training and capacity building rather than dismissing its members as unprofessional.
“So they should pull us along, make us a part of the nation-building and let us also learn from them. They should help us with capacity building rather than throwing us away and making it feel like we are unprofessional,” he added.
The New Media Association president also criticised what he described as the inconsistent treatment of bloggers and content creators by public figures.
He said some political leaders and influential individuals dismiss new media practitioners at public events but later invite them to cover their private celebrations and other activities, sometimes offering to pay for their services.
“The same people will come and invite you to come to their 50th birthday party. And even pay you to come and cover it. The same people who do not regard you,” he said.
He recalled instances where people carrying phones were pushed aside at events because organisers preferred coverage from traditional media outlets.
“All those with phones, go away. They want all the big news cameras to cover the thing. But the person with the phone, in a click, is gone,” he said.
Mr Osafo Nkansah said that such attitudes undermine the contribution of new media practitioners, despite their ability to reach audiences quickly and amplify stories across social media platforms.
Addressing the issue of insults in politics, Mr Osafo Nkansah said politicians should be part of discussions aimed at addressing the problem, given their influence on public debate and the conduct of their supporters.
“Everything we are doing is around politics. So let’s involve the politicians. Let’s let them know that if there’s any hands to be pointed at first, that the rest will point to us as the politicians.”
Mr Osafo Nkansah acknowledged that insults and abusive exchanges on social media reflect wider societal attitudes, while also demonstrating the power of digital platforms to influence public conversations.
He said the influence of social media makes it important for practitioners to understand their responsibilities and for political leaders to engage them in efforts to improve public discourse.