The Archbishop said this at The Catholic Standard 80th Anniversary Awards ceremony in Accra on Wednesday, December 5 during which 58 individuals, Parishes and Institutions were awarded for their contribution to the growth of the paper.

He said the Media must exhibit the virtue of truth in their reportage and stated that “one of the most cherished rights we all have is the right to good name. Freedom of the press does not mean you report everything that is true. You must only publish what will benefit the society.”

Archbishop Sarpong advised journalists to desist from publishing or broadcasting what would be a threat to national security such as sensational issues of political parties and tribal conflicts.

He counseled media outlets engaged in publishing pornographic materials, especially videos and pictures, to desist from such acts, as these were having negative impacts on the youth.

Most Rev. Matthew Gyamfi, the Bishop of Sunyani and Episcopal Chairman of Social Communication of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, who chaired the function, said with the increasing competition from electronic media, newspapers are facing dwindling circulation globally and The Catholic Standard was no exception.

He lamented that the reading culture among the youth in Ghana is at a low ebb, and appealed to all Catholics to read The Catholic Standard since it reflects the Catholic teachings and other issues of interest to society.

He prayed that The Catholic Standard would hit the newsstands in a big way and provoke debate and public discourse on national issues without having to get involved in partisan and fruitless debates.

“As the theme of the Anniversary states, we need to continue to be committed to the socio-economic development of our country. News should cover all areas and aspects of life of a Christian and the Paper’s readers at the national, local and community levels but this should be done with the greatest sense of objectivity and professionalism,” he added.