CAMP-G Catholic Association of Media Practitioners-Ghana presentation by Emmanuel Vorgbe

THE GENESIS OF CAMP-G In the early 80’s the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference encouraged the various professionals in the church to form associations through which they could place their expertise at the disposal of the church.

GENESIS OF CAMP-G (cont’d) The journalists took up the challenge and formed the Guild of Catholic Journalists. The media landscape was not very open, and the state was the main employer of journalists with the majority working for the state media, e.g. newspapers, radio and TV

MANDATE The mandate of the Guild was to articulate the voice of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference and to help disseminate the social teachings of the Church through the various media houses and platforms.

CAMP-G & THE CHALLENGE Since the majority of the members of the Guild of Catholic Journalists were employees of the state, they could not be of much help to the Bishops Conference in situations where the voice of the church had to be heard, especially with issues of human rights.

CAMP-G As democracy took firm roots in Ghana, the media landscape opened up and there was a proliferation of private newspapers, radio and TV stations. More and more Catholics found employment with the emerging media houses.

FROM GUILD TO CAMP-G There was the need to tap the expertise of all Catholics of the media. However, the name, Guild of Catholic Journalists had effectively shut the door to media practitioners who were not journalists. This anomaly has been cured by the change of name from the Guild to CAMP-G

MEMBERSHIP OF CAMP-G The membership of CAMP-G now comprises practitioners in mainstream media, advertising and PR, private radio and TV producers, photographers, documentary producers, etc.

MEMBERSHIP OF CAMP-G (cont’d) The general membership is up to 30. However on a regular meeting day, the maximum attendance is 10. By courtesy of , however, all members are informed of developments, programmes and activities

CHALLENGES A number of factors account for the low turn- out at meetings;  The majority of members are employees of one media house or the other.  Reporters and cameramen in the group are sometimes required at odd hours and at periods which conflict with CAMP-G meetings

LEADERSHIP OF CAMP-G CAMP-G is run by an executive board as follows. The President, Dr. Kwesi Annor, is a former state- owned newspaper employee, but now an author and publisher The Vice-president, Mr. Michael Nyaku is a retired broadcast journalist and retired PR practitioner The Secretary, Mrs. Victoria Lugey is a former mainstream media practitioner and now a private advertising executive

LEADERSHIP OF CAMP-G (cont’d) The Treasurer, Mrs. Eunice Maasodong is a programme producer at the national radio station. Sir Benedict Assorow of SECAM and former Executive Secretary of Social Communications of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference is one of the strong pillars of the Association.

ACTIVITIES OF CAMP-G CAMP-G has collaborated with the Good Governance office of the Ghana Catholic Bishops conference to organise a series of lectures in Accra. The lectures brought together academia, traditional leaders, government and the general public to deliberate on various aspects of 100 years of mining and its implications for

ACTIVITIES OF CAMP-G (cont’d) the national economy, the environment etc.  CAMP-G mobilised its members to plan and execute effective publicity for the 12 th Plenary Session and 40 th Anniversary of SECAM in  CAMP-G offered professional advice to the Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra in 2010.

ACTIVITIES OF CAMP-G (cont’d) On the individual level, members of CAMP-G play various roles in their individual parishes as producers of bulletins, marriage counsellors and as members and chairpersons of their Parish Pastoral Councils

ACTIVITIES OF CAMP-G (cont’d) CAMP-G has organised two workshops on script-writing and documentary production for its members. CAMP-G has, as a result of the workshops produced a video documentary on ‘positive’ disability. The object of the documentary is to show that disability is not inability.

FUTURE PLANS We have given copies of the original documentary to the following:  The Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference  The immediate past Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana  SIGNIS

FUTURE PLANS (cont’d) After the premiere of the documentary at this seminar, we hope to engage the GCBC and SIGNIS to undertake the following ‘post- Nairobi activities: 1.Formally launch the documentary in Accra. 2.Buy airtime and show it on the TV channels. 3.Launch the docu at diocesan level in Ghana.

FUTURE PLANS (cont’d) Show the docu in Catholic schools with inputs from the principal character. At this forum therefore we wish to appeal to SIGNIS to facilitate funding for this assignment. Commission scripts for the production of short clips on topics that would elicit behavioural change in our youths. We hope that we can still look up to SIGNIS for support for these clips

CONCLUSION CAMP-G is grateful for this opportunity to participate in the seminars for TV producers. We are also grateful for the facilitating role SIGNIS has played in funding our activities.

THANK YOU !!! Thank you. Merci beaucoup. Asante sana