News Construction on the Pivots of Framing and Ideology: A Theoretical Perspective

This paper reviews framing and the concept of ideology as imperatively intertwined theory in the construction of news by the media. It further explores each theory as independent media pivot in news making, and presents their coupling as a consequence of the inevitable link.  The paper also interrogates the two- framing and ideology- as connected concepts that are rarely interrogated in media studies but nevertheless influence the construction of new stories. The paper further indicates that the coupling of the concepts is further grounded on the social construction theory, positioning the argument that news production and its consequential framing is based on constructivism. The paper contends that when such mode of construction becomes embedded, reified and routinised in the newsroom, a journalistic ideology is forged and established that, consequentially, provides deterministic dominant modalities through which events, issues and personalities are framed and understood by the media. In particular, where the voices of the elites, through the journalist’s appropriation of official discourses, become the sustaining dominant, authentic, credible, and authoritative voices of news framing and construction, a news framing ideology becomes established; and all events, policies, and issues become constrained of extra interpretation except that which suits the journalistic ideological cause. Keywords: framing, ideology, news construction, media, official discourses, journalistic ideology DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/9-2-0

Africa Phone Card: A New Space for Constructing Images of Africa

Discourses on the negative reportage of Africa have been put at the doorstep of the mass media particularly, television, as well  as newspapers, magazines, and films, These channels have figured prominently as the major sources of information about the continent.  This paper explores another space that has emerged as a new medium for constructing ideas about Africa- Africa phone cards. The cards have become new spaces that produce enduring images about the continent and can be considered as new media text that also construct or define Africa. Through a combination of descriptive analysis of the images that appear on several of these sampled phone cards, interviews with some users of these phone cards, and references to existing literature on the portrayal of Africa in the media, the study reveals how the frameworks underlying dominant media constructions and reportage on Africa are transitioning into new realms. The study concludes that the popular visuals adorning the cards communicate tacit narrative assumptions that shape people’s general conception and understanding of Africa.  Keywords; Africa, Africa phone card, stereotypes, media, western media, African arts and cultur

An Ethnographic Study of Audience Viewing of the Telenovela- Kumkum Bhagya at Selected Sites in Ghana

Although telenovelas originated outside Africa, they have gained so much popularity in some African countries with Ghana not being an exception. This popularity has led to the emergence of a new phenomenon of viewing telenovelas at domesticated but open television viewing sites such as hair salons, grocery stores, cafes, gaming centers among others. Since this phenomenon has brought about a gathering of individuals at a common assembly ground, there is the need to explore the ideas that shape meaning making and the kind of interactions that take place. This paper investigates the culture that surrounds the immediate viewing of the Hindi produced telenovela-Kumkum Bhagya at selected sites in Winneba- Ghana. Using the theory of Popular Culture through an ethnographic approach and anchored on interviews, participant observations, and focus group discussions, the paper reveals that viewers of Kumkum Bhagya cut across various classes on the social ladder reiterating the assertion that, in Africa, everyone irrespective of their sex, age, religion, or ethnicity patronizes popular culture. Also, the findings of the study which were grouped into pre-viewing culture, viewing culture and post-viewing culture revealed that the culture that surround the viewing of Kumkum Bhagya are made of planned and unplanned activities which are all geared towards a successful telenovela viewing at the selected sites. Keywords: television, telenovela, Kumkum Bhagya; popular culture, third places, culture, ethnograph

“Woman, I have told you not to speak”: Portrayals of Women in Popular Ghanaian Movies

The study examines the portrayal of women in popular Ghanaian movies and how such portrayals mirror social reality. The study is premised on the grounds that movies like any conventional film are key sites where identities of women are constructed and contested on a regular basis; in addition, many of these movies are situated in patriarchal cultures and tend to reproduce the dominant ideology reinforcing female stereotypes. Through textual qualitative content analysis of six popular Ghanaian movies, and anchored on stereotype theory, the study showed that; first, quantitatively,  women were well represented in the movies contrary to assertions in earlier studies; second, that the  dominant patriarchal  qualification of as women as vituperative, dependent, domestic, diabolic, sex objects, accommodating, enduring, and gullible were employed in their portrayals. The paper contends that the portrayals reinforce the subjugation of women because they potentially increase men’s disdain for women, sow distrust amongst women and strengthen the forces which push them to the fringes of social life. The study concludes that the images of women presented in these movies reinforce the stereotyping of women and mirror the traditional settings in which their role, performances and subjectivities in real society are situated. Keywords: African film, Popular Ghanaian movies, Stereotype, Patriarchy, Images of wome

Self-Branding, Identity Construction and Social Media Use by Chief Executive Officers in Ghana

This paper examines the kinds of posts some selected Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in Ghana share on social media and how the concept of self-branding is enacted through such posts. Using qualitative content analysis of posts shared on Facebook by five purposively selected CEOs in Ghana, and anchored on identity construction theory and Goffman’s Presentation of Self, the paper reveals that the selected Ghanaian CEOs share diverse themes in their posts including issues on governance, globalization, social and organisational subjects as well as their individual personae. Again, the study reveals that the CEOs who engage social media actively present themselves positively to appeal to their social media followers by branding themselves as organisational leaders, corporate spokespersons, social commentators and influencers, globetrotters, religious affiliates and gender advocates. The paper concludes that CEOs consciously and subtly construct, modify, maintain, and promote their personal identities through multiple, diverse and vibrant branding techniques on social media. Keywords: Social media, Chief Executive Officers, Self-branding, Identity construction and Goffman’s presentation of sel

Social Media and Radio News Production: A Study of Selected Radio Stations in Ghana

This article investigates social media use by selected radio stations in Ghana. This is against the backdrop that the integration of social media into radio news production has received minimal investigation and documentation, especially within the Ghanaian context. Employing cyber ethnography, interviews and documents analysis as well as the Technology Acceptance and Technology Appropriation models, this study examines how two radio stations in Accra (Peace FM and Citi FM) use social media for news production. The research revealed that social media has been useful in enhancing journalistic tasks of news gathering, sourcing, news reporting, news editing, and public engagement or interactivity. However, the point of departure in terms of the appropriation of social media by the two radio stations lies in the area of news dissemination. Citi FM appears to appropriate social media for news dissemination in a variety of innovative ways through the use of multimedia applications and tools compared with Peace FM. The rationale for the variation in social media use for news production by the two radio stations may be linked to linguistic considerations as well as instrumentality of use. Keywords: Social media, radio news production, Radio in Ghana, Technology Acceptance Model and Technology Appropriation Mode

Coverage of Female Spouses of Presidential Candidates in Online News

This study examines the coverage in online news portals of female spouses of presidential candidates during the campaign prior to Ghana’s 2016 general elections. The study sought to uncover the ways in which female spouses of presidential candidates of the 2016 general elections in Ghana were portrayed through the lens of framing, gender and social constructionism theories. A total of 1252 paragraphs were analysed from online news portals of Citifmonline, Myjoyonline, Ghanaweb, Peacefmonline, Graphiconline and Pulsegh over a period of four months from August 2016 to November 2016 using qualitative research approach. Through content analysis, the findings showed that the coverage of the female spouses was predominantly positive and gendered. The female spouses were framed as: active in politics and policy discourses; assertive; and, motivational on issues on the campaign trail. The study concludes that the media gave the female spouses adequate coverage in terms of quantity and quality. However, the coverage reflected elements of gender as a constructed social norm or reality. Finally, contrary to what is dominant in the literature on gender representations in the media, the female spouses were not presented negatively neither were the media insensitive in their reportage.  They were portrayed as subverting the traditional gender roles or, on few occasions, affirming them. Keywords: online news portals, female spouses of presidential candidates, framing, social constructionism, gender, elections in Ghana DOI: 10.7176/NMMC/94-02 Publication date: December 31st 202

“Ablaze for God”: Constructing and Negotiating Identities in an African Pentecostal Church

The Church as an organization provides a wealth of research opportunities to explore how the process of identity construction and negotiation function. The present work, therefore, is a study of members’ identity construction and negotiation in an African Pentecostal Prayer Camp, Moment of Glory Prayer Army (MOGPA). Through the theoretical frameworks that build on the constructs of communication theory of identity and the identity negotiation theory, this ethnographic study explores the identities constructed by the members of this organization and how they negotiate those identities in their quest for physical and spiritual wholeness. An analysis of the data collected shows that participants through their performances at the prayer camp gatherings construct multifaceted personal, gender, social, ethnic and professional identities. The ethnographic study also revealed that in negotiating their identities, the strategies adopted by participants included acts of adornments, socialization and immersive participation. The study concluded that identity construction and negotiation of members come through the process of social interactions and learning and impacted by the identity of the Prayer Camp’s. Keywords: Identity negotiation, ethnography, prayer camp, Pentecostalism, social interaction DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/10-24-03 Publication date: December 31st 202

Gender Performativities in the Quest for Healing, Salvation and Prosperity in An African Pentecostal Church

This paper investigates the performances members of the Moments of Glory Prayer Army (MOGPA), a Pentecostal church in Ghana, display at meetings and how such performances are gendered. Using gender performativity theory and ethnographic design anchored on participant observations, interviews and focus group discussions, the paper reveals that members displayed gendered performances during MOGPA meetings through the frames of prayer, exorcism, testimonies and oblation. However, there were also instances during which individuals engaged in performances that seemed to subvert the normal gender roles regularly subscribed to and acknowledged by society. The study concludes that the performances displayed by social actors at MOGPA meetings were highly gendered and, subsequently, reinforces the gender roles and performances in the church in particular and the society in general. Keywords: Social construction, Gender Performativity, Gender roles, Religion, Christianity, Pentecostalism, ethnography DOI: 10.7176/JPCR/52-02 Publication date: February 28th 202

Protein Enhancement of Yam (Dioscorea rotundata) Peels with Single-or Co-Inoculation of Aspergillus niger Van Tieghem and Trichoderma viride Pers Ex Fr. Under Solid-State Fermentation

This study assessed the protein enrichment of sterilized and non-sterilised yam peels substrates fermented for 21 days at 25°C with mono- and co-cultures of Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma viride. Yam substrates were harvested at 0, 7, 14, and 21 days intervals for protein content and other chemical composition analyses. Results showed an overall percentage increase in protein contents of sterilised yam peels by 71.80% for A. niger, 58.03% for T. viride, and 80.60% for co-culture of A. niger and T. viride. Protein contents in non-sterilised yam peels increased by 113.30%, 95.00%, and 96.45% for A. niger, T. viride and co-culture of the test fungi, respectively. The significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher protein contents of the fermented, non-sterilised yam peels suggest possible successional microbial colonization of the substrate, and their combined, cumulative contributions to protein enhancement, unlike the sterilised yam peels. Ash content significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased in both sterilised and non-sterilised yam peels. These findings underscore the fact that, through fungal bioprocessing, protein contents of yam peels can be significantly enriched for value-addition. The practical implications of the findings are discusse