According to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2023, "print newspaper circulation continues to decline in most countries around the world, reflecting ongoing changes in media consumption habits and the rise of digital alternatives. The rise of digital media has exacerbated the situation by drawing audiences away from traditional newspapers. There is therefore an urgent need to intervene to revive and sustain the sector given its key role in the dissemination of information worldwide. It is clear that most newspapers are hanging on by a thread and desperately need support to prevent their collapse.
Many of these publications have either gone out of business or are folding as they receive support, while those that are still going are struggling to stay afloat. The situation is of course impacting on workers, including journalists, who are often not paid for months or receive meagre salaries, further weakening the industry. A colleague who recently travelled to the United States says this situation is not unique to Ghana, but is also found in developed countries such as the United States. The only difference is that some newspapers have moved to "not-for-profit models" that allow community members to contribute to their survival. In return, these newspapers are freely distributed within these communities.
Background of the newspaper
The origins of the newspaper can be traced back to 59 BC in ancient Rome, when the Acta Diurna, considered the first public news bulletin, was published and displayed in public spaces (Stephens, 1988). In 1605, Johann Carolus in Strasbourg published the world's first printed newspaper, Relation aller Fürnemmen und gedenckwürdigen Historien (World Association of Newspapers, 2004). The concept of the newspaper gradually spread around the world and in the early 19th century it reached Africa, where publications such as the Royal Gazette and the Sierra Leone Advertiser began to appear in 1801 (Kopytoff, 1965).
Across the continent, newspapers became key tools in the struggle for independence. Leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana), Jomo Kenyatta (Kenya), Julius Nyerere (Tanzania), Nnamdi Azikiwe (Nigeria) and others used the print media to promote self-government. These leaders understood the power of print media (newspapers) by using newspapers to shape public opinion and mobilize citizens for self-government. After Ghana's independence in 1957, there was a flourishing of newspapers which consisted of state and private publications such as the Daily Graphic, Ghanaian Times, Evening News and The Ashanti Pioneer which played a key role in shaping public opinion.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the Ghanaian newspaper industry experienced significant growth and became an important platform for political liberation and public debate - a period characterised by high readership. Newspapers then attracted a large readership, with private publications selling 16,000 to 20,000 copies per day, while state-owned newspapers recorded sales of 100,000 to 80,000 copies per day. The industry was highly profitable at the time because newspapers were the primary source of information and delivered what readers wanted or the public interest. Despite the presence of radio and television, Ghanaians were largely dependent on newspapers for news and detailed analysis.
So what happened?
With the advent of the Fourth Republic, Ghana adopted a new constitution, the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of the press, media rights and liberation in Chapter 12. This led to the liberalisation of the airwaves with the rapid development of private media, especially radio and television stations. It is noteworthy that the Constitution explicitly recognizes newspapers as the primary form of media. This is reflected in the mandate of the National Media Commission (NMC), which is mandated by the constitution to register and regulate anyone who wants to establish a newspaper in Ghana. According to the National Media Commission (NMC), there were over 5,000 registered newspapers and magazines in the country in 2024. However, this figure does not reflect the actual number of readers as many publications have stopped publishing regularly due to low demand and reader interest.
However, the licensing of radio and television stations does not fall under the NMC but under another government agency. This distinction is rather surprising. It suggests that the framers of the constitution attached more importance to newspapers and accorded them a more independent regulatory process compared to the broadcast media. When discussing freedom of the press, then, it suggests that it originally applied primarily to "newspapers," which were recognized as the principal medium of communication. There is no doubt that newspapers dominated the media space until the advent of media proliferation and diversity, with the rise of radio, television and eventually social media. In the early days, the term media was essentially synonymous with newspapers. For a deeper insight into the reasons for the decline and the underlying issues, senior colleagues, including Kirtan, a fellow journalist from South Africa, explained that the traditional 60/40 revenue model - where 60 % came from sales and 40 % from advertising - was the basis for the success of print media, especially daily and weekly newspapers.
However, the logistics and costs associated with running printers are increasingly burdensome and unsustainable. This has created a domino effect across the media value chain, affecting journalistic and editorial standards and dealing a serious blow to sales and advertising - the life cycle of every media house. He further noted that the rapid emergence of digital and cyber technologies has significantly disrupted the print sector. In his view, this disruption is not a temporary phase but will persist for the foreseeable future. A colleague living in Paris told me that newspapers are thriving because people are moving away from social media. And that's for the "elite class of society". I find that strange somehow.
Francis Kokutse, a senior journalist with more than 40 years of experience, stressed that each media house is unique and serves its audience in its own way. That is why we have tabloids that cater to readers who prefer lighter content, while we have broadsheets and specialised media that cater to a more serious or niche audience. In selecting news, he stressed the importance of understanding and responding to what the public wants to read or hear. "Media is a business," he said, "and that means that content selection must be driven by what will increase circulation or increase viewership."
What causes a stir and what attracts attention?
Kokutse cautioned against assuming that online news platforms were solely to blame for the decline in newspaper readership. He explained that news portals usually focus on content designed to increase traffic, which should serve as a lesson for traditional media. "What's causing a stir? What attracts attention?" He asked. "It's unfortunate that traditional media has ceded the lead in public interest content to digital platforms." He cited the Kumasi highway accident as an example. "When news portals publish such a report, the traditional media must move on," he advised. "They need to dig deeper - to provide information about the victims, to investigate the causes or to uncover unique perspectives that often escape the online media. This is where traditional journalism can still add real value."
Denisa, from the Czech Republic, believes that the decline in newspaper readership - especially in her country - is largely due to the media not fulfilling their true purpose. In her view, many media outlets do not inform people about topics they are actually interested in. With inflation rising and everyday expenses increasing, people are cutting back on what they consider non-essential spending. She added that if the media focuses primarily on negative news, promotes conflict - for example, calling for war with Russia - and seems to serve corporate rather than public interests, readers lose trust.
Given that information is widely available on the Internet for free and can be easily filtered according to personal preferences, she said, people see little reason to buy newspapers. According to Denise, a decline in readership naturally leads to a decline in income - a predictable economic outcome. She noted that her team recently took a different approach and decided to go against the mainstream by offering unique and rare news online. This strategy has proven effective and their digital platform is gradually outperforming traditional newspapers.
Journalist Patrick argues that the rise of citizen journalism, in which individuals instantly report and share news through social media platforms, has made information more accessible, but has also weakened the influence of newspapers. Although the world is rapidly going digital, there is still room for newspapers to adapt and take advantage of this trend. Many newspapers have switched to digital platforms, yet this transition has not reversed the industry's decline. People can subscribe online to access their favourite news and entertainment, but the challenges facing the newspaper industry are becoming more serious than they seem.
Readers are getting tired of political coverage
Many stakeholders believe that governments should subsidise newsprint and other print materials to ease the financial burden on newspapers. Others suggest that some publications should merge to strengthen their operations. There are also calls for the creation of a special-purpose fund to support newspaper houses and help them stay in business. According to Kwame, a practitioner, newspapers are increasingly neglecting stories of public interest - that is, those that reflect the daily lives and concerns of readers - and instead focusing mainly on political coverage, which many members of the public have grown tired of.
Unless urgent action is taken, major newspapers such as the Daily Graphic, Ghanaian Times, Daily Guide, The Chronicle, The Daily Dispatch, The Insight and several others that are already struggling may cease to exist in the not too distant future. Now is the time for a critical dialogue among stakeholders to explore ways of salvaging the newspaper industry.
FIIFI NETTEY
MEDIA CONSULTANT
ACCRA
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