Ghanaian Journalist Halifax Ansah-Addo

I AM HARD, NOT EVIL – Delay

Delores Frimpong Manso, popular entertainer and rising entrepreneur, has said she has no apology or regrets over her style of questions on the ‘Delay Talk Show’ though it has ruffled feathers and earned her some public condemnation.

The celebrated radio and television presenter has also described as false, suggestions that she deliberately engages her guests in sensational discussions that would generate controversy.

“Many people hide behind social media to insult me and call me an evil person because of my style. I even suspect some of those insults are stage-managed by people using different pseudonyms. These are people who can’t stand my style, people who can’t see a woman host her own show for seven years and continue to remain in top rating, people who want to see me fall, people who know I am not evil as they want to paint me publicly but perhaps because I am too hard for them to confront me in person, they hide behind social media to attack me. That’s cowardice”, Delores aka Delay told NEWS-ONE.

She said the Delay Talk Show, is not a platform for pampering people and hiding the truth and that she has to “ask the hard questions to get the uncensored truth out.”

“I remember when Wanlov Kobulor appeared on the show and I asked him whether it was true he does not wear underwear, most of the people who insulted me and called me evil did not watch the show but only heard Kubolor had showed his sex organ on my show. It never happened. We did the professional thing of censoring that part before it was aired but the insults came at me for asking the question. I did not point a gun at the head of the male adult to show whatever he showed, why should be the one who gets called evil for asking such a question.

“Recently, Akua Donkor was on the show and it was a tough interview which got her to speak from her heart. When she said things that were clearly not true, I pointed it out and this irritated her. It was a good show which I was expecting to be congratulated for but all I got were insults and the usual ‘evil’ tag”, Delay explained.

The popular radio and television presenter opined it was a combination of “ignorance and hate” which makes some insult her after each episode of the show which airs on Viasat-1 Friday evenings.

“I think radio and television presenters should be bold enough to ask all the tough and hard questions without fear or favour once it is done with respect and within the confines of the law.

“We are not dumb people just going on radio or tv to ask questions. Most of the time the questions are well researched by your production team and we know what answers you are likely to give. It would be silly for you to host a show and ask someone a question and the persons give you a false answer and you fail to point it out to the person that the facts and reality on the ground differ”, Delay concluded.

A 22-year old second year Senior High School student, Emmanuel Sabhagha, has established his own clothing line label that has become very popular and has expressed optimism of becoming an international brand from Ghana.

Sabhagha told NEWS-ONE his label, ‘Life On The Streets’ (LOTS), was conceived from his personal experience of the harsh realities of living life on the street.

The brand has maintained an increasing popularity among the youth.

“I am 22 now but would soon complete Senior High and become a man so I had to think of how to earn a living rather than completing school and searching for jobs that do not exist.

“It was just an idea I tossed over with a few friends but now it has become a reality and I am selling my cloths and making money. I believe ‘Life On The Streets’ is not just a fashion label but a statement to motivate people and challenge them into coming out with creative ways of earning a living and becoming self employed.

“When the idea came, I did not have money so had to rely on a loan from friends, get designer to put my idea of a logo, get it registered, invest the loan into the business and now we are selling T-Shirts, Polo shirts, hoodies, sweat shirts, snap bags, wrist bands and our stock is moving fast”, Sabhagha explained.

The 22-year old Ghanaian is venturing into the fashion industry at a time the United Nations has outlined creative industries’, including fashion, as a viable potential to boost development especially in developing and under developed countries.

Sabhagha confirmed to NEWS-ONE the fashion industry is a lucrative venture with a profit margin worth writing home about.

“People love to look good and generally consider what they wear as a major way of enhancing their public image. And if you come out with a nice label on a quality fabric that has durability, people would start to associate with you and help you grow.

“In this era of social media, marketing your stuff is not that difficult. From the beginning, I have relied on facebook, instragran and other social media sites and because the strategy is working well, I am not encouraged to look for a huge amount of money to rent a big office in town”, Sabhagha stated.

Explaining his target market, Sabhagha said LOTS is for persons who believe there is hope for everyone, including those living on the streets.

“There are many people out there who were not pampered to reach the top, people who are down but believe they can get to the top, people who want to encourage themselves and encourage others to think of creative ways of surviving and making a living, they are my target market and they have not disappointed me so far”, Sabhagha added.

It Is Tough For Women In Media

…Mary-Ann Acolatse Speaks

By Halifax Ansah-Addo

Mary-Ann Acolatse, a female broadcast-journalist of high repute, has pointed at an uneven playing field that frustrates the smooth progression of women working in the media though the situation is unintended.

“With regards to training and basic job opportunities the field is leveled for both sexes but when it comes to career progression, certain roles and ownership - there's cause for alarm”, Mary-Ann, Managing News Editor at Starr FM told NEWS-ONE.

“I don't believe that there is deliberate systemic distortions at work targeting women in the media to remain out or at the base of the profession. But the general patriarchal settings that construct economic, social and professional power relations perpetuates the evil cycle of marginalizing women at all levels - this phenomenon cuts across all sectors or industries

“It is an open secret that women in the media just as other industries earn lesser than their male counterparts of same rank or pedigree. Women in the media hardly occupy the high and powerful positions at the top - it's just a few brave ones who often do so at the peril of their marital or social lives....whereas many remain bottom or hardly can see a natural progression to the top through merit unless through the difficult and sometimes less dignifying back door negotiations,” Ms Acolatse explained further.

She continued: “You can scan around and see the evidence abound - we have a tall list of radio, tv and newspaper operations in the country but how many women do we have in these organizations leading as managing editors or chief editors, news directors, managing directors, CEOs or owners of media properties.”

Currently, she is the Group Managing Editor of EIB Network, operators of Starr Fm, Live FM, Kasapa, Ultimate Fm, Agoo Fm, Empire Fm and Daily Heritage newspaper.

Mary-Ann had also worked at TV3 as Director of News and Current Affairs and help top management positions at Joy FM, Multi TV and Metro TV.

In the interview with NEWS-ONE, Mary-Ann said her experience in the media has taught her it is a tough job at the top for women because “ the fine skill set required to drive excellence and profitability in a competitive market with limited pool of compelling talents can be daunting!”

Mary-Ann strongly posited that “the nation stands to benefit hugely when the space is freed up for more women in the media to be seen and heard as powerful voices of influence - not just as sexual objects adorning newspaper front pages and television screens.”

She said “women as decision makers - Editors, Managers, Media Owners etc will significantly lift the caliber of media practice to the standards we aspire to have as a country.

“Though there are exceptions to the rule, I believe women's natural disposition tilt to nurturing, caring and calculating in their actions and impacts and therefore women are less likely to run amok in what I term ‘adventure journalism’. When sensational and serious content share same commercial value - women will still invest in programming that supports nation building and rich public life than riotous publications and broadcast aiming mainly to sell at all cost damn the consequences!”

She holds a Masters degree in Journalism from the Cardiff University in the UK under British government's chevening scholarship program and Executive MBA in Marketing from University of Legon's Business School.

Inside Asamoah Gyan’s $3 Million Home

Black stars captain, Asamoah Gyan, has bought a $3 million hilltop mansion at the apex of one of the McCathy Hills affording occupants an airborne view of Accra.

The footballer has named his mansion “La Basilica De Baby Jet” and says he would use it as a residential facility.

It is a 3-storey building that can only be described in two words, classy and comfortable with large balconies on each floor directly overlooking the Weija River. It has elegant floral designs and tiles, luxury linens, pristine décor and a collection of furniture and artifacts from different countries of the world.

La Basilica De Baby Jet has master fitter bedrooms, a swimming pool, a gymnasium, a pub, a cafeteria, a movie room, a snooker bar, several kitchens, self contained boys quarters, automated garages, several living rooms and has become the talk of town.

NEWS-ONE visited the place for daytime photos.