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Officials and supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have once again been cited for using the most �indecent expressions� on radio, says the third monitoring report by Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA). According to MFWA, it recorded a total of 21 �indecent expressions� from 14 programmes out of 31 radio stations between April 15th and 21st. The report named officials, supporters and activists of NPP, NDC, and PPP as culprits of such indecent comments. The NPP reportedly made 11 provocative remarks, out of the total of 21 offensive languages recorded whereas officials/supporters of the NDC accounted for six of the indecent expressions. One of the remaining four unacceptable expressions was made by an official of the Independent People�s Party (IPP) while the other three were made by people whose group affiliations could not be established. Below is the full statement by the Media Foundation for West Africa FINDINGS FOR WEEK THREE OF MONITORING LANGUAGE USE ON RADIO Introduction This report covers the findings of the third week (April 15 to 21, 2012) of monitoring language use on radio under Media Foundation for West Africa�s project on: Promoting issues-based and decent language campaigning in Ghana�s 2012 elections, funded by STAR-Ghana. For the week under review, indecent expressions were recorded on a total of 14 programmes aired on 11 out of the 31 radio stations being monitored under the project. Most of the reports on indecent expressions received for the week revolved around the violent ethnocentric utterances by Mr. Kennedy Agyapong, MP for Assin North and the fallouts from that incident. For instance, out of the 14 programmes on which indecent expressions were used, 10 of them were about Mr.Agyapong�s comments. General findings on Expressions/tone used A total of 21 indecent expressions were captured by monitors during the week under review. There were only three expressions/comments that were captured as being worthy of praise. Out of the 21 indecent expressions recorded, five of them were remarks calling for confrontation and violence, eight were unsubstantiated allegations and four of them were insulting and offensive comments. There were two provocative remarks, one expression or comment promoting divisiveness and another expression containing a tribal slur. With regard to the types of tone usedon the 14 programmes on which indecent expressions were recorded, majoritywere unfavourable (8), adversarial, harsh and provocative (8) whereas one was threatening, overbearing and swearing. Officials/supporters of the NPP were those who used most (10) of these kinds of unfavourable, adversarial, harsh, provocative and threatening tone; followed by officials/supporters of the NDC (6). Expressions used by Officials/Supporters and their Political Party or Group Affiliation Generally, the people who featured on all the programmes on which indecent expressions were recorded were officials/supporters of registered political parties, except a few whose affiliation could not be identified. Majority of the 21 indecent expressions recorded during the period under review were made by officials/supportersof the NPP. These NPP officials/supporters collectively accounted for 11 out of the 21 indecent expressions recorded whereas officials/supporters of the NDC accounted for six of the indecent expressions. One of the remaining four unacceptable expressions was made by an officialof the Independent People�s Party (IPP) while the other three were made by people whose group affiliations could not be established. Specifically, four out of the five remarks calling for confrontation and violence recorded were made by officials/supporters of the NPP. It must however be noted that not all the expressions calling for confrontation and violence were related to the comments made by Mr.Kennedy Agyapong. Some of such comments related to the on-going biometric registration exercise and the assault on Ms. Ursula Owusu, the NPP Parliamentary Candidate for Ablekuma South Constituency. The other remark calling for confrontation and violence was made by an official of the IPP. Similarly, officials/supporters of the NPP madefive out of the eight unsubstantiated allegations registered over the one week period.Officials/supporters of the NDC made one of such allegations whereas the remaining two were made by people whose affiliation could not be determined. The findings showed that officials/supporters of only the NPP and NDC were the culprits of insulting and offensive comments. Persons associated with the NPP however made three out of the four insulting and offensive comments recordedwhile the other one was made by an official/supporter of the NDC. All the two provocative remarks registered over the one week period were made by people who identified with the NDC.Also, the only comment promoting divisiveness was made by an NDC member. Similarly the only comment containing tribal slur was made by another NDC member. However, an official/supporter of the CPP and the NDC, as well as a Social Commentator, made the three expressions registered as pacifist and conciliatory. Below are the names of the individuals who made the 21 indecent expressions and the platforms on which they made them: Remarks calling for confrontation and violence � Ken Adjei Korankye, affiliated to the NPP, made a remark calling for confrontation and violence on Hot FM�sMaakye programme on April 17, 2012. � Steve Amoah of the NPP made another of such comments during Boiling Point programme on Oman FM on April 17, 2012. � UrslaOwusu, the NPP Parliamentary Candidate for Ablekuma South made one of such remarks on PeaceFM�sKokrokoo programme aired on April 19, 2012. � Charles Owusu of the Independent People�s Party (IPP) during a telephone interview on Peace FM�s Mid-day News on April 16, 2012 made a remark endorsing violence. � Samuel Pyne of the NPP made a remark endorsing confrontation and violence on Kesseben FM�sMaakye programme of April 17, 2012. Unsubstantiated Allegations � Hopson Adoye of the NPP made an unsubstantiated allegation during Boiling Point programme on Royal FM (an affiliate station of Oman FM). The programme was aired on April 17, 2012. � AdomakoBaafi of the NPP made two different unsubstantiated allegations on Oman FM�s Boiling Point programme of April 17, 2012. � Steve Amoah made another of such comments on the same programme � A serial caller known as Elliot believed to be affiliated to the NDC made one of such comments during Jubilee Radio�s Aguadze programme aired on April 17, 2012. � A serial caller known as Solo on April 19, 2012, made an unsubstantiated allegation on Skyy Power FM�s Jolly Breakfast Show. � On the same programme on Skyy Power FM, Alhassan who is also a serial caller made another unsubstantiated allegation against the NPP. � Samuel Pyne of the NPP made one of such remarks on Kessben FM�s Maakye programme aired on April 17, 2012. Insulting and offensive comments (including name calling) � Adomako Baafi of the NPP made two of the insulting and offensive comments recorded over the one week period. The comments were made onRoyal FM�s Boiling Point programme aired on 17th April, 2012 (the programme was picked up from Oman FM). � Anthony Karbo, the NPP National Youth Organiser, made another of such comments during an interview on Peace FM�s 6:00pm news of April 16, 2012. � Abdul RahmanUsman of the NDC also made one of such comments during Radio Progress� Super Morning Drive aired on April 19. Comments promoting divisiveness � Collins Mahama of the NDC made the only remark promoting divisiveness on Space FM during Space Morning Flight programme aired on April 18, 2012. Expressions containing tribal slur � Atta Kusi of the NDC also made the only comment containing tribal slur during Space FM�s Morning Flight Programme aired on April 17, 2012. Provocative remarks: � Peter Otukunor of the NDC made one of the two provocative remarks recorded on Uniiq FM�s Morning Newspaper Review programme aired on April 20, 2012 � Collins Mahama of the NDC on Space FM during Space Morning Flight programme on April 18, 2012 made the other provocative remark about the NPP Flagbearer, Nana AddoDankwaAkufo-Addo. Expressions used on Specific Programmes Generally, indecent expressions were recorded mainly on morning and evening/night political discussion programmes. As much as 17 of all the 21 indecent expressions recorded were made on such programmes. Expressions used on Radio Stations There were five incidences of remarks calling for confrontation and violence during the period under review. Out of the six remarks, two were made on Peace FM, and one each was made on Hot FM, Oman FM andKessben FM. The findings also showed that out of the eight unsubstantiated allegations recorded, three were made on Oman FM, two were made on Skyy Power FM, and one each was made on Jubilee Radio, Kessben FM and Royal FM. With regard to the four insulting and offensive comments recorded, two of them were made on Royal FMand the other two, on Peace FM, and Radio Progress. The two provocative remarks recorded over the one week period were made on Uniiq FM and Space FM. Also, the only expression promoting divisiveness and the only remark containing tribal slur were all made on Space FM. On the other hand, there were three reports that cited very pacifist and conciliatory remarks. These comments were on Ankobra FM, Radio Upper West and Kessben FM. Below are the names of the individuals and the specific praiseworthy expressions made: On Ankobra Breakfast Table programme aired on April 20, 2012, J.K. Piedu, a Social Commentator, said, �We should remove our political lens and work towards peace.� IshaqSuleman of the CPP made the following remark on �Common Course,� a programme aired on Radio Upper West on 16th April, 2012: �Let us all preach and pray for peace to prevail.� Hon. OfosuAmpofoof the NDC said on Kessben FM�s Maakye programme aired on 17th April, 2012, �� all well-meaning Ghanaians should condemn anybody who makes unguided statements and unite as a common people with one destiny from one family.� It is also worth noting that Peace FM and Citi FM replayed the violent and ethnocentric utterances of Mr. Kennedy Agyapong thereby repeating these violent utterances. Similarly, Joy FM replayed Mr. Samuel Awuku�s (Deputy Communications Director of the NPP) address to some TESCON members in which he made some violent remarks. The actions of the three radio stations were considered inappropriate; but those reports were not coded and analysed because Mr. Kennedy Agyapong and Mr. Samuel Awuku did not make the statements originally on those stations. Conclusion While identifying the specific officials/supporters of the various political parties who made indecorous expressions, as well as the stations on which those expressions were made, MFWA also wants to acknowledge the important role the respective moderators of the various programmes played in managing or trying to correct the unacceptable expressions that were made. Generally, moderator�s handling of in-studio discussions, interviews, text messaging and phone-in segments were good. More than half of them acted with professionalism and fairness. For instance, the following hosts/presenters made efforts to get the people who made indecent expressions on their programmes to retract or withdraw: EdemNyasorgbor of Jubilee Radio, Nana AgyeiSikapa of Peace FM news, Nana Kyei (Nana Kass) of Space FM andKwame SefaKayi of Peace FM. However, a few of the moderators were found to have performed below their professional expectations; especially in managing in-studio discussions and asking those who made certain indecent expressions to retract or provide evidence in the case of unsubstantiated allegations. MFWA is therefore calling on all hosts/presenters to emulate the examples of the moderators mentioned above so that together, we can promote issues-based and decent language campaigning before, during and beyond the 2012 elections.