By Mavis Paintsil, Accra
The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa, Sulemana Braimah, has urged the Economic Community of West African States to take decisive action to ensure technology giants compensate media organisations in the region.
Speaking at a virtual academic seminar organised by the University of Ghana’s Department of Communication Studies, Mr. Braimah said it was unacceptable that global platforms continue to profit from journalism produced by West African newsrooms without giving back.
He argued that the economic model of journalism in the sub-region is under severe strain. Advertising incomes have dwindled and efforts to earn money online have not yielded much, leaving many media houses struggling to survive.
Yet, he noted, platforms like Facebook, X, TikTok and Google thrive on the circulation of news content.
“The reality is that platforms are making money from our content while the creators of that content are collapsing,” he said.
Mr. Braimah is therefore pushing for ECOWAS to deploy its collective influence. He believes a unified approach by all 15 member states will carry more weight than individual negotiations with the tech firms.
He called on the ECOWAS Commission to develop a regional binding instrument that will obligate digital platforms to pay for news that is distributed and consumed through their channels.
According to him, examples from jurisdictions like Canada show that it is possible to compel Big Tech to negotiate fair compensation with publishers.
He said such a mechanism, if implemented in West Africa, could provide a much-needed sustainable revenue source to support quality journalism.
Ghanaianannouncer
send invite to aba.mavis@gmail.com,or call 0505913033,0207697495
advert,news, partnership, sponsorship, graduation ceremony, birthday party or wishes, call 0505913033,0207697495
