Godwin Etse Sikanku, a Ghanaian political scientist, author, lecturer and Dean of the School of Journalism at the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC), has called on the media to treat audiences as active participants in the creation of news and other content.
He said journalism should move beyond treating audiences as passive recipients of information and instead build a relationship in which people contribute to shaping what constitutes relevant news and content.
Prof Sikanku made the call during a panel discussion at the Broadcasters Convention 2026 in Accra, where he emphasised the importance of participation in modern journalism.
“The simple truth is that journalism is a way of communicating with people,” he said, stressing that audiences should not be viewed as strangers or simply as people who are told what is relevant to them.
According to him, recognising audiences as participants changes the relevance of journalism and strengthens the relationship between the media and the people it serves.
He said the approach was informed by the idea of participatory communication, arguing that journalism should reflect the involvement of the people in the creation of content.
“At the end of the day, journalism is the expression of the people, by the people and for the people,” Prof Sikanku said.
He argued that audiences should therefore have a role in determining what television, news and other forms of media content should be.
Prof Sikanku further said the participation of audiences could help media organisations create value that strengthens their connection with the people they serve.
“When people realise that they are creating value, that value creates a stronger connection with the audience,” he said.
