Founder of the Class Media Group, Alhaji Seidu Agongo, has charged the newly launched Accra TV to build its credibility by earning the trust of the public through accurate, fair and accountable journalism.

Speaking at the launch of Accra TV, Alhaji Agongo said trust had become increasingly important in an environment where people were surrounded by information but often struggled to determine what was credible and true.

He said the media had a responsibility to bridge the gap between institutions and citizens, but warned that such a role could only be sustained when media organisations themselves were trusted.

“The challenge of our time is not a lack of information. We are surrounded by information. The challenge is determining what is credible, what is transparent, and what is true,” he said.

According to him, trust cannot be demanded but must be earned through consistent professional conduct.

He identified accuracy, fairness, consistency and accountability as some of the principles that should guide media organisations, stressing the importance of verifying information before publication and correcting mistakes when they occur.

“Trust is earned through accuracy, fairness, consistency and accountability. It is earned when we verify before we publish, when we inform rather than inflame, and when we have the courage to correct whenever we err,” he said.

Credibility Above Equipment

Alhaji Agongo said the most valuable asset of the Class Media Group, which is the parent company of Accra TV, was not its studios, cameras or transmission equipment but its credibility.

He said the same principle would guide Accra TV as it begins operations.

“At Class Media Group, the umbrella body of Accra TV, our most valuable asset has not been our studios, cameras or transmitters. Our most valuable asset has been and will continue to be our credibility,” he said.

He challenged the new station to maintain that credibility particularly when doing so becomes difficult.

“For me as a businessman who has seen almost all the cycles of life and entrepreneurship, the real litmus test of trust is not what we do when things are easy. It is what we do when transparency is difficult,” he said.

Commitment To Facts And Accountability

The Class Media Group founder assured Accra TV’s stakeholders, particularly its audience, that the station would seek to establish itself as a platform for facts, dialogue and accountability.

He said the station would aim to listen to its audience, provide useful information and serve the public interest.

“As we launch Accra TV this evening, let me reassure our stakeholders, particularly our audience and viewers that we are committing ourselves to being a trusted platform for facts, dialogue and accountability. We will be a platform that listens, informs and serves,” he said.

He added that stronger public trust could contribute to healthier societies, successful businesses and a stronger democracy.

The launch brings Accra TV into the Class Media Group’s growing media operations, with the station expected to build on the group’s presence in Ghana’s media landscape.