Media Companies Should Be Sued For Defamatory Remarks Made By Their Staff

Ace Anan Ankomah, a private Lawyer, has proposed that media owners and shareholders in Ghana be held liable and sued for defamation committed by their employees and organizations.

He said that there have been far too many instances of media outlets defaming people’s reputations in recent years by publishing false information.

He ascribed this pattern to victims’ lack of resolve to seek legal action for compensation and exoneration.

At the Africa Media Bureau’s Media Executives Breakfast for media professionals on Thursday, November 28, 2024, Ace Anan Ankomah made these statements while talking about the perils of misinformation and disinformation, especially the harm they cause.

Throughout the themed workshop— “Ethical Considerations and Risks in Programming for Social Media: Responsible Election Reporting”, he also spoke about other issues.

With an emphasis on comprehending the effects of technology and online platforms, the workshop covered the best practices for covering elections in the current digital era.

Regarding defamation, the attorney demanded that the law be reviewed.

“I’m going to respond to the issue that we don’t sue enough – we talk a lot but often we don’t carry through to the matter to the end. If someone does something wrong, we think the arrest is the punishment so therefore that is the end of the story. Was he put before the court, was he trailed, was he sentenced, did he face jail term?

“We don’t follow through, he could have been released the next day, and that is the end of the story. Yes, I agree we don’t sue enough. This is the problem because the begging is too much, they know how to go to your pastors and chiefs, and they come and beg and beg and beg,” he stressed.

“And I wonder, does the person that caused the damage lose his job? No!! If the person gets a query, who knows, who cares?”

According to Ace Anan Ankomah, the discouraging aspect of these developments is that, despite being loudmouths, those who primarily disparage others are often worthless.

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“You go to court and realize that the loudmouth person is some impecunious man of straw who has nothing. You get the judgment and wonder what to do with it; the guy has nothing he can really insult. That is his only gift.”

“I think that the law of defamation, particularly news organizations, should allow us to go after stakeholders and directors of media organizations.”

“You see, ultimately, who are the ones making the money from us been insulted – who are the persons in charge of administering and directing the affairs of the companies?

“So, can they just sit and say they are immune, and they will make dividends every year while you [people] are insulted? The stakeholders are the direct beneficiaries of the media organizations. So, maybe, one of these days, we should test it,” says Ace Anan Ankomah.