Estelle Akofio-Sowah (http://www.rnw.nl)
Akofio-Sowah was speaking in Accra while hosting executive members of the Network of Communication Reporters (NCR) Ghana.
She described journalists as the main producers of online content and noted media houses in Ghana are only just setting up online departments and units.
This, Akofio-Sowah said, ought to be supported by the management of the media houses because the internet has the potential of improving an organisation’s image and generate more revenue.
“For us at Google, our Sub-Saharan goal is to build an internet ecosystem and make it relevant and useful for people. We want to give Africans the reason to come on the internet everyday and make it part of their life,” she said.
She mentioned Google’s previous support for some local media houses in Ghana such as Citi FM, YFM and Multimedia Group (Joy FM). She said Google assisted these media houses in the setting up of internet infrastructure.
“This kind of support would be extended to many more media institutions in the coming months and years, but that would be based on a particular institution’s arrangement with Google Ghana,” she said.
She introduced Google products such as Google Ad Sense product to members of the delegation.
She said using this product, media houses could become an Ad Sense Partner and generate revenue when adverts are placed on their websites.
She said: “Once you become an Ad Sense Partner, you can share revenues with Google by allowing it (Google) to advertise on your websites. The more people click to open the ads on the website, the more money you make.”
