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I am getting back to Nana Aba Anamoah’s issue for the second time at many risks. Not only do I stand the risk of appearing overtly interested in matter which should not ordinarily concern me but more so I stand the risk of sounding contradictory and not meeting Kwaku Baako’s test and theory on consistency.

I harbor the fear of contradiction because it appears this opinion which I deem a little bit professional, will be at variance with my personal opinion on the issue as contained in my earlier piece in respect of this matter.

For many of my readers whose opinion were shaped or affirmed by my earlier piece on the subject, I want to render an apology on a note that a personal opinion on a matter may sometimes fly in the face of professional opinion.

Dr. Ofori Birikorang introduced me to Mass Communications in my first year at the African University College of Communications. His lectures were intuitive, thought-provoking and interactive .Not even a somnambulist will sleep with his engaging teaching tactics. Seeking to emerge the best student in his class having earned his praise and admiration, I was left with no option than to read many books, journals and article in the area.

It was in keeping with this goal and the responsibility that same imposes that I came into contact with Marshall McLuhan’s poignant and practical book titled: Understanding Media: The Extension of Man(1964).

It was in this book that the phrase the medium is the message was first introduced. In 1967, when Marshall writes another best-seller, the phrase which has by then gained traction was tweaked as title for his new book: ‘the medium is the Massage: the inventory of meaning.’

In the book Marshall argued that ‘‘medium itself and not the content it carried must be the focus of study.’’

From above, I learnt my first communication lesson. The lesson that the medium or the channel for communicating is as important as the message. Thus, while content creation is important for the expressive element of communication, the medium or the means through which the content is shared or optimized goes a long way to affect the impressive value of the communication.

By Marshall’s standards choosing a communication medium is as important as the diction of the content. By his assertion and philosophy, it is better not to communicate if a content is not consistent with the characteristics of the medium chosen for same.

Following my earlier piece on the matter, I have received numerous and varying comments on the matter. Indeed, I dare say that my intelligent readers have shaped my opinion better with their comments and different perspectives on the matter.

While opinions have been wide and varying, it appears there has been some point of convergence among my commenters. Beyond their support or otherwise of TV3’s action, they were, generally, disquiet about the use of a Press release as the medium of communication.

If Marshall’s standards, as quoted above is anything to stand on, then it will be difficult for me to stand with TV3 for their use of Press release to communicate the disciplinary action against Nana Aba.

In relying on Marshall’s standards, I am compelled to quote one of his principles in the book that has shaped the professional decision and choices of communicators for several decades. In his book Marshall posits:

‘‘Medium affect a society in which it plays a role not only by the content delivered over the medium, but also by the characteristics of the medium itself.’’(Marshall, 1964)

What is instructive and worth adverting my reader’s minds to is Marshall’s emphasis on the need for a communicator to analyze the characteristic of the chosen medium for communication.

The above brings to the fore the question of whether the characteristics of a Press release passes it as an appropriate medium for communicating an internal decision on an employee.

I think a memo or a letter to the offending employee is the appropriate medium and not a Press release. I would therefore applaud a leaked memo to Nana Aba than a Press statement to the public.

Again, it is instructive to note that a Press release is an uncontrolled media. Thus, when an organization issues a statement to the media to communicate on its behalf, the organization losses greater control over how the message is handled. Since organizations are not in the position to determine the editorial direction of their statement, they can be exposed to many communication infractions, sometimes in a manner that disrupts the thrust of their content.

Taking a critical look at some of the headlines that came out, it will not be difficult to assert that some section of the media blew the issue out of proportion. Words like, Sacked, Fired, Suspended which dominated the headlines in respect of the matter, to me, were over-board.

I truly don’t think that the decision to take Nana Aba off the screen can be interpreted as a termination of his contract, an impression that some of the headlines gave.

The net effect of this is that while a Press release, to some extent, helped management of TV3 to reaffirm its brand values and philosophies, it equally exposed them to the danger of having people question their employee relations, a key yardstick for measuring an organization’s reputation.

This had nothing to do with the content of the message, but the medium for communicating same had exposed them to another danger.

I was therefore not surprised that a former deputy Minister will take on TV3, few minutes into the release of the press statement.

Conclusion.

If I were a judge, I will have thrown out TV3’s case on the grounds of technicality since technical or procedural justice is as important as substantive justice. But without the binding power of a judge, I am left with no option than to join the call for the Bring Back Nana Aba Anamoah campaign.

I do not take this position because I support her, given the substance of her case. I do this on the principle that because TV3 has erred in employing the appropriate medium for their communication, they equally owe it to Nana and many Ghanaians to assert their credibility as one of the best communication outlets in the country.

Their technical error should quash Nana Aba Anamoah’s discretionary error. What is good for the goose is equally good for the gander.

#BringBackNanaAbaAnamoah

#WakeupAgenciesGH

#DateswithmyEyes