Ghana's media industry is making rapid economic and professional developments, according to the African Media Barometer-Ghana Report 2008, the Daily Guide Ghana reported today. The report also revealed substantial development in media freedom and independence and showed Ghana media to be one of the most successful on the continent.

The African Media Barometer was launched in 2005 by the Southern African Media Project in conjunction with the Media Institute of Southern Africa. The bi-annual survey is a self-assessment undertaken by each African nation under unique self constructed criteria.

The 11-person Ghanaian panel, taken from the media and civil society industries, found substantial growth and development in the country's media output but also noted a lack of quality reporting, according to Daily Guide Ghana.

The survey found the country's general economic conditions a major hindrance to the performance of media groups in the country, who instead of pursuing expansion and growth, must fight for every day survival. Concurrently journalism is a largely underpaid profession.

President of Ghana Journalists Association, Ransford Tetteh, challenged media houses to find ways to increase the wages of the country's journalists so as to improve the standards of the media industry, Daily Guide Ghana reported.

The survey noted an increase in training opportunities in the journalism industry compared with a year earlier. However, the results went on to suggest that an increase in journalists and the commercialization of the industry would have negative effects on the professionalism of those involved in Ghanian media.

The report was critical of the print media's lack of presence in rural communities, saying "There is no organized system for newspaper distribution in the country. Currently, it is only the Graphic Communication Group Ltd, the publishers of the Daily Graphic, which has regional newspaper editions which started in 2007 and are contemplating rolling out district newspapers. Daily Guide, a privately owned newspaper, also airlifts its newspapers to other part of the country - particularly Kumasi and the Northern parts of Ghana," Daily Guide Ghana reported.

Minister of Information, Zita Okaikoj, expressed the government's desire to facilitate a healthy media industry in Ghana, saying his "ministry is very open to dialogue with all relevant stakeholders as to how to pave the way for an even more vibrant, independent and professional media in Ghana," she said, according to Daily Guide Ghana.