Newspapers in Decline: The Dilemma of Print Media in Ghana
2 June 2025,
The Ghana Report
According to Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2023, “print newspaper circulation continues to decline in most countries worldwide, reflecting ongoing shifts in media consumption habits and the rise of digital alternatives.
The rise of digital media has worsened the situation, drawing audiences away from traditional newspapers. There is, therefore the urgent need for intervention to revive and sustain the sector due to its pivotal role in information dissemination across the world. Evidently, most newspapers are hanging by a thread, desperately in need of support to prevent their collapse.
Many of these publications have either shut down or are working as they get support, while those still operating are struggling to stay afloat. The situation is obviously affecting workers, including journalists, who often go unpaid for months or receive meager salaries, further weakening the industry.
A colleague who travelled to the United States of America recently says that the situation is not unique to Ghana alone, but also present in developed countries like the United States. The only difference is that some newspapers have transitioned to ‘Nonprofit models’, allowing community members to contribute to their survival. In return, these newspapers are distributed freely within these communities.
Newspaper background
Newspapers can be traced back to 59 BC in Ancient Rome with the Acta Diurna, considered the first public news bulletin, which was posted in public spaces (Stephens, 1988). In 1605, Johann Carolus published the world’s first printed newspaper, Relation aller Fürnemmen und gedenckwürdigen Historien, in Strasbourg (World Association of Newspapers, 2004).
The concept of newspapers gradually spread across the world, reaching Africa in the early 1800s with publications like the Royal Gazette and Sierra Leone Advertiser, which began in 1801 (Kopytoff, 1965).
Throughout the continent, newspapers became key tools in the fight for independence. Leaders like Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana), Jomo Kenyatta (Kenya), Julius Nyerere (Tanzania), Nnamdi Azikiwe (Nigeria), and others used print media to advocate for self-rule.
These leaders understood the power of the print media(newspapers) by shaping public opinion and mobilizing citizens for self-rule using newspapers.
After Ghana’s independence in 1957, newspapers flourished comprising of State-Owned and privately owned publications like Daily Graphic, Ghanaian Times, the Evening News, and The Ashanti Pioneer played key roles in shaping public opinion.
Fast forward to the 1980s and 1990s, Ghana’s newspaper industry experienced significant growth, becoming a vital platform for political liberation and public discourse — a period marked by high readership.
Newspapers attracted a large readership, then with private publications selling between 16,000 and 20,000 copies daily, while state-owned newspapers recorded sales of 100,000 to 80,000 copies per day. At the time, the industry was highly profitable, as newspapers were the primary source of information and were delivering on what the readers want or public interest. Despite the presence of radio and television, Ghanaians largely depended on newspapers for news and in-depth analysis.
So what happened?
With the advent of the Fourth Republic, Ghana adopted a new constitution—the 1992 Constitution —which, under Chapter 12, guarantees press freedom, media rights and liberation. This led to the liberalisation of airwaves and
rapid expansion of private media, particularly radio and television stations.
Notably, the Constitution explicitly recognizes newspapers as the primary form of media. This is reflected in the mandate of the National Media Commission (NMC), which is constitutionally required to register and regulate anyone seeking to establish a newspaper in Ghana.
As of 2024, data from the National Media Commission(NMC) indicates over 5,000 registered newspapers and magazines in the country. However, this number does not reflect actual readership, as many publications have ceased regular circulation due to low demand and patronage.
However, the licensing of radio and television stations falls under another government agency rather than the NMC. This distinction is quite amazing. It suggests that the framers of the Constitution placed greater importance on newspapers, granting them a more independent regulatory process as compared to broadcast media.
When discussing press freedom then, it give one the sense that it is initially referred primarily to ‘Newspapers’, which were recognized as the main medium of communication. It is without question that newspapers dominated the media landscape until the advent of media proliferation and diversity, which saw the rise of radio, television, and eventually social media. In the early days, the concept of media was essentially synonymous with newspapers.
To gain deeper insight into the reasons behind the decline and the underlying issues, a senior colleagues, including Kirtan, a fellow journalist from South Africa, explained that the traditional 60/40 revenue model—where 60% came from sales and 40% from advertising—was the foundation of success for print media, particularly daily and weekly publications.
However, the logistics and costs associated with running printing presses have become increasingly burdensome and unsustainable.
This has triggered a domino effect across the media value chain, affecting journalistic and editorial standards and delivering a serious blow to both sales and advertising—the life blood of any media house.
He further noted that the rapid rise of digital and cyber technologies have significantly disrupted the print industry. In his view, this disruption is not a temporary phase, but one that will persist for the foreseeable future.
A colleague living in Paris told me that newspapers are thriving, as people are rather shifting away from social media. And it is for the “elite class in society”. This somehow l find strange.
Francis Kokutse, a senior journalist with over 40 years of experience, emphasized that every media house was unique and served its audience in its own way.
That is why we have tabloids catering for readers who prefer lighter content, while broadsheets and specialized media outlets that target more serious or niche audiences.
In news selection, he stressed the importance of understanding and responding to what the public wants to read or hear. “Media is a business,” he said, “and that means content choices must be guided by what will drive circulation or grow audiences.”
Kokutse cautioned against the assumption that online news platforms alone were responsible for the decline in newspaper readership. He explained that news portals typically focus on content designed to increase traffic, and this should serve as a lesson for traditional media. “What is generating buzz? What is drawing attention?” he asked. “It is unfortunate that traditional media has ceded leadership in public interest content to digital platforms.”
To illustrate his point, he cited the example of a traffic accident on the Kumasi highway. “When news portals break such a story, traditional media must go further,” he advised. “They need to dig deeper—provide background on the victims, explore the causes, or uncover unique angles that online outlets often miss. That’s where traditional journalism can still add real value.”
Denisa, from the Czech Republic, believes that the decline in newspaper readership—particularly in her country—is largely due to the media’s failure to serve its true purpose. In her view, many outlets are not informing people about the issues that genuinely interest them. With inflation rising and daily expenses increasing, people are cutting back on what they consider non-essential spending.
She added that when the media focuses mainly on negative news, promotes conflict—such as calling for war with Russia—and appears to serve corporate rather than public interests, readers lose trust.
Since information, she said was widely available online for free and could be easily filtered by personal preference, people see little reason to buy newspapers.
According to Denisa, a drop in readership naturally leads to a decline in revenue—a predictable economic outcome.
She noted that her team had recently taken a different approach, choosing to go against the mainstream by offering unique and rare news stories online. This strategy has proven effective, with their digital platform gradually outperforming traditional newspapers.
Patrick, a journalist, argues that the rise of citizen journalism, where individuals report and share news instantly through social media platforms had made information more accessible but had also eroded the influence of newspapers.
Although the world is rapidly advancing in digitization, there is still room for newspapers to adapt and take advantage of this trend. Many newspapers have transitioned to digital platforms, yet that shift has not reversed the industry’s decline. People can subscribe online to access their favorite news and entertainment, but the challenges facing the newspaper industry remain more serious than they appear.
Many stakeholders believe the governments should subsidize newsprint and other printing materials to ease the financial burden on newspapers. Others suggest that some publications should merge to strengthen their operations. There is also a call for the creation of a dedicated fund to support newspaper houses and help them stay in business.
To Kwame, a practitioner, newspapers are increasingly neglecting public interest stories—those that reflect the everyday lives and concerns of readers—and are instead focusing primarily on political reporting, which many in the public have grown weary of.
If urgent action is not taken, major newspapers such as the Daily Graphic, Ghanaian Times, Daily Guide, The Chronicle, The Daily Dispatch, The Insight and a few others who are already distressed may cease to exist in the not distant future. Now is the time for a critical stakeholders’ dialogue to explore ways to save the newspaper industry.
FIIFI NETTEY,
MEDIA CONSULTANT
ACCRA