Veteran Ghanaian filmmaker Socrate Safo has blamed some media platforms for contributing to the decline of Ghana’s movie industry.
According to him, negative criticism and constant comparisons between Ghanaian films and foreign productions discouraged audiences and investors from supporting local movies.
Speaking in an interview on Okay FM on July 15, 2026, Socrate Safo said the movie industry once created significant financial opportunities for media houses through advertising and promotions.
“There was a time the film industry helped the media make so much money in terms of adverts and promotions. I remember the number of friends in the media whom I was personally sorting out for writing promotional content and adlibs,” he said.
The filmmaker said the relationship between the movie industry and the media changed when some media personalities began criticising local films instead of promoting them.
“It was all good until the same media started running the films down by talking bad against the movies they were supposed to be promoting. They were saying things like, ‘it’s not nice and it’s boring,’ pushing away potential viewers and investors,” he stated.
Socrate Safo also recalled an incident at a television station in Accra where a presenter planned to compare Ghanaian movies with Nigerian productions.
“I had to go to them after the show to tell them that what they were doing was not good. They were damaging the industry,” he said.
He believes the continued negative perception affected the growth of Ghana’s movie industry and reduced the revenue that once benefited both filmmakers and media organisations.
“Eventually, we saw the effects. The movie industry has declined and the money that used to flow towards the media people has dried up.
“If they were actually promoting the movies, they would have gotten more money and it circulates. That is how industries grow,” he added.
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