Joy FM’s Super Morning Show Sinks Further

…Quality Journalism Interred

Host of Accra-based Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Kojo Yankson, came under severe criticism, following yet another unguarded comment he passed on his show yesterday.

Indeed, the days of quality journalism on that show, has been interred by the underperforming radio host.

Fond of passing unsolicited views, Kojo, just before he took the microphone from Pastor Ato Acquah; host of “Joy Time In His Presence” early yesterday morning, remarked that, if it was news worthy that President John Mahama, rode a motorbike, received a car gift and owed a gun, then armed robbers, could also get media attention for similar reasons.

His comments on the once attractive radio show during the days of the late Komla Dumor, were seen by his listeners, as very distasteful, irresponsible and thoughtless, and some of them took to social media, especially questioning his maturity and sense of judgment and knowledge of the ethics of the profession he is practicing.

Following the protestation on social media, Mr. Yankson, has retracted the words he claimed was mere “joke”. He has since rendered an unqualified apology to all, including President Mahama, but it looks like he is going to live with the implications of those uncouth comments for a very long time.

It is not clear, if Kojo, was asked by management of Kwesi Twum’s Multimedia Group Limited, to issue the unqualified apology or, he took the decision to apologize himself.

On his facebook wall yesterday after the show, Kojo wrote, “this morning in the handover with pastor Ato before the start of the Super Morning Show, I made a joke that has received some attention on social media.

In referring to the recent media attention over the president riding a motorcycle, receiving a car, and owning a gun, I joked that armed robbers, could also get media attention for similar reasons.

Some Ghanaians, have taken offense to this comment, and this is entirely my fault. As a communicator, I ought to understand that people react differently to information, and jokes about any divisive issue, even when told without malice will not go down well with everyone.

For this reason, I would like to apologize without reservation to any of our listeners, including the president himself who may have found my joke distasteful”.

He made an attempt to explain, “My comments were not aimed at offending any of you and it makes me so sad that I have unintentionally done so.

I will not be where I am today if I was incapable of learning from my mistakes and this morning’s joke was a mistake, I have learn from it. This experience will make me better and that is good for all of us”.

In conclusion, Mr. Yankson promised to repeat the apology by reading it live before the show starts today, Friday June 24, 2016.

“I will repeat this apology on air tomorrow morning at 05:50am just before the start of the Super Morning Show.

Thank you all for your tolerance and understanding”, he assured.

On facebook, his apology was received warmingly by a lot of the people, who commented and commended him for showing remorse, but others who were completely not happy with him, tasked him to be careful what he says on air.

On April 1, this year, the same Kojo, his co-host Nhyira Addo Nhyira, together with Lawyer Ace Ankomah, played an expensive April Fools prank on listeners by having some people storm the studios of Joy FM during a live show, claiming they were from the National Security under the Office of President, and that they were there to arrest Kojo.

He was arrested, handcuffed and taken away with pictures of him all over social media.

Ace Ankomah, was on hand to be called by Nhyira Addo, he claimed he was on his way to the National Security Secretariat to seek clarification and secure bail for Kojo.

Provocative songs were intermittently played by Nhyira Addo, drawing inflammatory comments from listeners on various platforms, especially social media.

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), later chided the media house for engaging in the prank, describing it as unprofessional and mischievous.

A statement signed by the GJA President, Affail Monney, made particular mention of Accra-based Joy FM, which gave listeners the impression that the “Super Morning Show” host, Kojo Yankson, was forcibly picked up by two BNI operatives, while on air as an April Fools’ Day prank.

The GJA, expressed disappointment in Joy FM, and described their prank as “an expensive joke with no entertainment value” given the role national security has played in the news cycle in recent times.

“The GJA is deeply disappointed that a radio station of Joy FM’s caliber, could decide to stoop so low and indulge in such broadcast vulgarism that has the tendency to undermine media trust, public security and generate unnecessary political tension,” their statement said.

Find below the full GJA statement:

GJA Condemns Pranks in the Media

The GJA’s attention has been drawn to pranks by a number of radio stations to commemorate 1st April as All Fools ’ Day, and strongly condemns the hoax by radio stations on their morning shows which by all standards were unprofessional and mischievous.

We refer particularly to the one by Joy FM, which gave listeners the impression that its “Super Morning Show” host Kojo Yankson while on air, was forcibly picked up by two BNI operatives from the studio and taken away.

The whole incident later turned out to be a practical joke for April Fools’ Day.

We consider that type of prank to be an expensive joke with no entertainment value.

The GJA is deeply disappointed that a radio station of Joy FM’s caliber could decide to stoop so low and indulge in such broadcast vulgarism that has the tendency to undermine media trust, public security and generate unnecessary political tension.

This is especially the case, in the wake of the recent incident involving National Security, the BNI and the New Patriotic Party, over the deportation of three South African security men said to have been in Ghana to train the private security of Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo, flagbearer of the NPP.

The GJA, considers the use of the mass media to play such tricks as dangerous and inimical to the image of the media, whose personnel are expected to be disseminators and conveyors of credible information at all times.

We urge the media, especially in an election year, to use their platforms to promote decent dialogue and debate that help to inform, educate and entertain the people to unearth the truth, rather than engage in such pranks that raise false alarm, put people on urge and undermine the peace.

Affail Monney, GJA President.