Published by participants in the  Certificate in Journalism program

of the African Virtual University-Indiana University of Pennsylvania Partnership.

The African Star

Homepage

Pictures (GAMBIA)
Pictures (Somaliland)

Media act creating problems for journalists says editor

The Director of Information Services and editor of The Gambia Daily newspaper, Alie Sanyang, has said the state of the media in The Gambia is now taking different dimensions after the ratification of some acts at the national assembly, amongst which, the Media Commission Act.

 Sanyang mentioned this in an interview on the state of the media in The Gambia. He said journalists were being guided by their ethics despite threats and arrests. "You can remember the arson attacks on The Independent newspaper, Radio 1 FM and just recently, the burning into ashes of the printing machine of The Independent newspaper costing over D1. 5million", he said. These among other issues he said created unfriendliness between journalists and the authorities.

Sanyang also said the media commission act is a  draconian law, which doesn't go well with press freedom.

" Imagine, how can a journalist be required to reveal his source by the constitution which still has freedom of speech and expression and right to acquire and disseminate information? How can a journalist be limited to write about the malpractice of the government? Is this what is meant by press freedom?"

On the issue of registration with the media commission by media houses and practitioners, Sanyang said it is not correct to re-register after all media houses renew their bond and registration every year.

"Why should practitioners register? Is there no freedom of expression in the constitution?" he said. The issue of registration is to scrap the operation of some media houses in the country by next year. "Why are the state-owned media not required to register? This is just to silence the private media " he said.

Sanyang also said that the reason for the media to concentrate on politics and government is the lack of transparency and good governance. He said the majority of the problems we now face are economic, and the situation must be corrected. He stressed that agriculture and health are equally important as politics and governance, thus government should be blamed for  its poor governance.

Sanyang described most politicians as publicity seekers and advised journalists to be careful of them. He said they treat everyone equal to each other no matter who you are, hence, calls on all journalists to apply the same. Sanyang added that the most challenging time of his work is when some of the reports are viewed as libelous and seditious.

"I do know that there must be some substance of truth and I am obliged to give the facts which further push me to go on to enquire or investigate it myself" he said.

In discussions with some journalists most of them stressed the constitutionality of the media commission act saying it should be discarded because it has some hidden agenda on journalists. They also blame the national assembly for ratifying the act pointing on the minority of the opposition political parties.

Some members of the public  some said that not only are the media are denied their rights under the act , but also the ordinary people who need information and can only get it through the media. Others, however, said  the media have grown too "many feathers" in their criticisms on the president, government officials and policies. Some also regard journalists as opposition sympathizers.