A study conducted by three lecturers of UniMAC-GIJ, has revealed that the Ghanaian media spent limited space covering the feats achieved by females in academia unlike their counterparts in other professions.
This comes on the back of four (4) females becoming official holders of four principal positions at Ghana’s first University, the University of Ghana, Legon, famously tagged as the “Legon Big 4.”
This, according to the researchers, marks the first time an educational institution has women at topmost leadership positions in the country, hence, needed much attention from the media.
The researchers, Dr. Solace Yawa Asafo, Ms. Marcia Abonie, and Ms. Offeibea Awuku, made this known at the seventh inter-faculty lecture held on Friday, July 28, 2023 at the North Dzorwulu Campus of the Univeristy of Media, Arts and Communication, (UniMAC)-Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), under the auspices of the Directorate of Research, Innovation and Development (DRID).
The researchers presented on their study topic, “Framing and Attitudinal Analysis of female Academic leadership in the Ghanaian Media.”
The four women holding the principal positions for the first time are Mrs. Mary Chinery-Hisse, Chancellor of UG, Mrs. Justice Sophia Akuffo (rtd.), Chair, Governing Council of UG, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Vice-Chancellor of UG, and Mrs. Emelia Agyei-Mensah, Registrar of UG.

Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo became the first female Vice-Chancellor at the University of Ghana. Prior to her appointment as Vice-Chancellor in October 2021, she served as Acting Vice-Chancellor from August 2021.
Speaking after the presentation, Ms. Marcia Abonie, a lecturer at the Faculty of Integrated Communication Sciences (FICS) and co-researcher said, “This is a novelty and significant, we’ve had female vice-chancellors, female chancellors but these are isolated cases. In this case all four from one institution, we regarded this as newsworthy and as important so based on that let’s find out the position of the media if we regard this as newsworthy.”
Ms. Abonie also stated that based on the results, the media was generally “unenthusiastic about matters of female academics” which was evident in the limited details and perspective attached to their reportage on the “Legon Big 4”.

She however noted that the only detailed perspective and insight according their data was from feature stories or columns, which were not written by journalists or people in the media.
“…so the media or the journalists themselves only wrote straight news stories that was the dominant, 10 straight news stories that didn’t present extra information, it didn’t present their affection or appreciation or judgement to the matter,” Ms. Abonie said.
Background
The study was situated in the broader framework of media representation of females with a focus on female leaders in academia.
It argues that while the media generally underrepresent women, women in academia are further given less prominence.

On the media coverage of females along occupational lines, the study revealed that, women as homemakers had the highest coverage between 2015 and 2020 representing 67% and 68% respectively.
Women in politics and entertainment also ranked in the top while female academics ranked seventh.
According to the study, the columns, which were written by an academic, and a writer who were not found in the media space yet portrayed a positive attitudinal attitude.
They also provided a more engaging storyline and thus placing importance and further attention to the female academic leaders that the news stories were about. The researchers recommended that it is very important to cover all the nuanced perspectives that deal with the coverage of females in the media in future studies.
Latest Stories
-
Over 350k ounces of gold sold to BoG in 2024 under domestic gold purchase programme – Chamber of Mines
7 minutes -
Mahama refers electoral violence report to Attorney-General for legal action
16 minutes -
Body of Ghanaian teen who died under suspicious circumstances in Latvia returned home
22 minutes -
The Self-Defeating spiral of regulatory technology?
36 minutes -
Police launch investigation into fatal shooting of Kusasi Chief in Asawase
40 minutes -
WAFCON 2024: ‘This one really hurt’– Jennifer Cudjoe reacts to semifinal loss
44 minutes -
Former Black Queens coach Nora Häuptle was overhyped – Former GFA EXCO Member
52 minutes -
WAFCON 2024: ‘Build on this and you’ll be champions’ – Kurt tells Black Queens
1 hour -
Kelvin Taylor deserved fair hearing before arrest warrant – UGBS Lecturer
1 hour -
NRSA orders immediate removal of billboards in road medians over safety concerns
2 hours -
Duffuor Case: Accepting 60% recovery undermines justice and accountability – Sulemana Braimah
2 hours -
WAFCON 2024: Sports Minister lauds ‘courageous’ Black Queens performance against Morocco
2 hours -
Prices of some imported goods could be reduced in coming weeks – GIFF assures
2 hours -
Attorney-General to address uniBank case, asset recovery updates on Monday – Kwakye Ofosu
2 hours -
Duffuor Case: Manhyia South MP questions why State settled for only 60% recovery
2 hours