Аннотация: Information is now abundant so has it been polluted, thus this paper looked at how professional news production could be redefined to stay away from purveyors of misinformation but a safe space in this era. In order to achieve this, we examined three areas where information could be misappropriated through existing literature namely: headlines, online news editors and gatekeepers. We point out that headlines play a pivotal role in the information ecosystem where they can mislead the audience. This is done through the usage of catchy phrases to grab the attention of the audience. Further, we found out from the exciting research that some online news editors do not adhere to certain ethical standards and so they publish stories without verifying the veracity of the story. We noted that politicians have infiltrated the media space which has had a major negative impact on how the editor chooses his stories. The paper recommends that headlines should not only be written for the clickbait but they should be written so as not to mislead the audience while there should also be a limit on how political figures can influence the media agenda. Lastly, people who do not have a background in journalism to know the ethical implications of their news stories should be coached by an experienced journalist which would help minimise the information pollution we face today in this era of the internet and social media.

Аннотация: Rapid technological changes that take place in recent years affect all aspects of life. The emergence and popularization of the Internet is one of the examples of how people get access to political information and news. Previous research were focused on examination of the impact of media upon the audience, or people’s distrust to new media. The online quantitative study that involved 199 respondents from Ghana and Nigeria revealed that many people read political news online, or sometimes listen to the radio in these two regions. Print media received the lowest rating, as people’s interest in it declines. The conclusion is made that the population of Ghana and Nigeria tend to read new media for political news compared to mainstream media. Therefore, mainstream media should invest adequate resources to improve their online presence and the quality of their news content. It is indicated that new media is currently the number one tool worldwide of enticing people to protest against government policies that they believe would have negative consequences for their lives. It is shocking that the majority of respondents claimed that they watch political news on TV, compared to minority who listen to radio. The authors’ special contribution lies in determination of the most frequently used means of political communication among the residents of West African countries. It opens eyes for political communication and researchers, which requires further study.

Аннотация: Rapid technological changes that take place in recent years affect all aspects of life. The emergence and popularization of the Internet is one of the examples of how people get access to political information and news. Previous research were focused on examination of the impact of media upon the audience, or people’s distrust to new media. The online quantitative study that involved 199 respondents from Ghana and Nigeria revealed that many people read political news online, or sometimes listen to the radio in these two regions. Print media received the lowest rating, as people’s interest in it declines. The conclusion is made that the population of Ghana and Nigeria tend to read new media for political news compared to mainstream media. Therefore, mainstream media should invest adequate resources to improve their online presence and the quality of their news content. It is indicated that new media is currently the number one tool worldwide of enticing people to protest against government policies that they believe would have negative consequences for their lives. It is shocking that the majority of respondents claimed that they watch political news on TV, compared to minority who listen to radio. The authors’ special contribution lies in determination of the most frequently used means of political communication among the residents of West African countries.