Mass
media in Gambia
Saikou
Ceesay
1.What
is the state of the mass media in Gambia?
The mass media
in the Gambia is doing everything possible to develop the
capacity of media institutions and media practitioners at large.
In addition, many journalists reported that they felt
intimidated to make coverage for critical political stories.
In the capital,
Banjul. In September, the Independent editor in chief Abdoulie
Sey was abducted and held incommunicado
at the headquarters of the
national intelligence agency for three days.
After the person
ran an opinion piece title, ‘Jammeh under the microscope’.
The article written by a Gambia journalist based in the united
states discussed the Gambia’s endemic poverty and corruption and
concluded that the president had failed us all. In October,
three unidentified men assaulted a private security guard in
front of the Newspapers office’s doused the building with gas
oil, and set it on fire.
The fire damaged
the Newspaper power supply, Gambian journalists said the attack,
which closely resembled on arson attack in 2000,on the offices
of the private Banjul-based Radio 1 FM; many have come in
reprisal for The Independents critical reporting on the
government. The closure of Citizen FM in 2001 for alleged
nonpayment of taxes left the country with no private news-based
radio stations. As a result, Gambian relies on heavily
controlled state radio for information.
A medium
regulatory commission with jurisdiction over complaints against
journalists was inaugurated in the summer of 2003 in accordance
with the 2002 National media act. Shortly before the commission
was inaugurated, the Gambia press union GPU, along with private
publications including The Independent, The Point and News and
Reports, filed a suit the supreme court challenging the
commission constitutionality- that motivated the cabinet to
implement the Newspaper amendment act.
2.What is the
history of the mass media in Gambia?
Before the
advent of independence, in 1961 The Nyaato, means forward with
the Gambia, was established and later named it The Nation
founded by William Charles Dixon Colley.The Echo, The Vanguard
by M.B Jones, editor and mr.J.W Bidwell-Bright, the owner. The
Gambia outlook by M.B Jones and The Gambia by Mr. Nyang Thomas
1974-1994 these veteran journalists had put up to established
their dignity.
We remembered
the efforts of these much earlier papers in the days when the
colonial administration also put a squeeze against journalists
as anti-colonialists. And having space to speak out was a
challenge. Having won the struggle they fought for what does the
media today do with the freedom attained. Apart from other
functions they played they contributed a leading vanguard in the
struggle to entrench democracy in all its form. Media outlet in
their days set themselves the task of the truth and nothing but
the truth. The truth they say was bitter and hence difficult to
state.
In relation to
individuals, especially person in authority or holding public
offices the mass media continuously in those days throw
searching light not only on their deeds but their very lives and
private bearings. It was for the achievement of certain
progressive goals that they strived for. They did not compromise
them, all geared towards national development.
The most
significant point is the fact that the private press has
survived just as democracy has survived. In the second republic
certain measures necessary and relevant to the whole concept of
press freedom in the second republic, the inexplicable delay,
deliberate or otherwise in setting upon independent national
media commission in the second republic should worry all of us
who care for a free and independent press.
What are some
of the problems Gambian journalists face?
The problems
affecting Gambian journalists cannot be over emphasized, the
media institutions are not financially strong enough to support
some of their development initiative; Journalists find it
difficult to travel to the countryside to cover stories- due to
poor road network to the rural areas. In addition, insufficient
fund that is a cause to delay in executing some duties and
training. We experience problems like using power to silence
journalists, through frequent arrest, torture and detention of
journalists, some received anonymous death threats for critical
political coverage. We suddenly witnessed the closure of media
houses in the country, besides, usually held of journalists
incommunicado without charges persist. Its crystal to mention
the terrible attacks which closely resembled an arson attack on
journalists and media houses in 2000-to date, on 8 August 2001,
a private Banjul based-radio 1Fm was attacked course of which
the proprietor, Mr. George Christenson, sustained injuries and
was admitted at a clinic, and also came in reprisal for the
independent newspapers closure. The government intolerance of
criticism persist, in 2004,Deyda Hydara, former managing editor
and proprietor of The Point Newspaper and treasurer of WAJA was
short dead at close range in the vicinity of the police Garage
and the police intervention unit (paramilitary force) at
Kanifing, 12 kilometers from the capital Banjul. On Tuesday
2006,the General manager of The Independent Madi. K.ceesay
together with editor-in-chief Musa Saidykhan and two other
senior reporters were arrested and detained after spending three
weeks without being charged. The crusade persist and embroiled
Chief Ebrima Manneh and many other journalist are still nowhere
to be seen, to the case of Ebrima Manneh still in doubting, a
statement released by the IGP, Inspector general of police noted
that, the said Ebrima Manneh is not in police custody.
Do the
Gambian mass media have a code of ethics?
Yes, it has a
code of ethics that safeguard journalists, to avoid falling into
certain traps- including the media fraternity.
Do
advertisers bring undue pressure on the mass media when it comes
to covering certain stories?
Certainly,
sometime advertisers expressed their dissatisfaction in manners
their adverts or stories are being published or broadcasted,
normally in some media houses complains like dissatisfactions of
adverts, are launched to the Marketing manager to who is
mandatory to satisfy the customers.
What is the
relationship between the mass media and government?
There is
misconception-the government of the Gambia is not ready to
discuss with the media practitioners. Initially they have
implemented a law called the media amendment acts, to trail
journalists for any misconduct in our profession. Currently,
some of our colleagues are nowhere to be seen since there arrest
by intelligence agency NIA, to my candid opinion we are scared
besides intimidated to make critical publication about the
government. The Gambia press union invites secretary of state
for information and technology to attend a presentation on the 3rd
may in Banjul to discuss issues and how press freedom can be
upgrade-which was not taken seriously by the department of state
to respond the call.
The government
is not willing to dialogue with mass media, it continues with
its crusade against mass media. The mass media is working to
ensure its totality in building the capacities of media
institutions and practitioners-offering training programmed for
journalist to become more responsible in executing their
profession. The recent government is never interested to come to
table form with the media practitioners to discuss, resolve and
propose ideas to shape the media. It is confirmed that the
Gambia is among ten countries were journalist has worst
environment in executing their professional is the role
of the mass media in Gambia
What is the
role of the mass media?
The mass Media
has been very instrumental in the development of this country;
it has played an extremely important role in awakening the
masses of this country- immediately before this country achieved
independence. The mass media is fortnightly, very analytical
touching on very important issues that have big bearing on the
development of this country. Well I emphasized that the language
used by the mass media was more mature - gained us to succeed in
changing a lot of things on the public view.
In addition, the media helped to develop human socio-economic
development, mentally, physically and in all aspects of lives.
Mass media contributed a lot in terms of educating the masses;
certainly it contributed in the development of the country. The
media dealt with very controversial issues, siding of course
with the people all the time, these efforts must have influenced
some policy decisions that were taken during this crucial
momentum. So we can say that the media has contributed not only
in enlightening the public but has also been disseminating the
hopes, aspirations and concerns of the people. Whether some of
these hopes, aspirations and concerns were taken into
consideration, we have no doubt about that- because we have seen
the mass media spearheading some important debates on some
issues and we have seen that government has of course obliged
the citizenry when this was the case, Its also the
responsibility of the mass media to make the government
accountable to the masses by informing and inspiring them of
their basic rights.
.Are
the mass media performing that role well? Why? Why not?
Yes, the mass
media in Africa deemed it necessary to continue on the
sacrifices for the populace-we have succeeded in inculcating the
minds of reading and writing into the young siblings. The medias
capacity to established an international community for
broadcasting; whilst at the community level it initiates
internal system of broadcasting that circulates within the
country. The mass media is doing extremely well in circulating
daily news, events, and everyday, almost every hour; one can
listen to the BBC news hour and other international news
agencies or websites to retrieve news information. The mass
media poised to education and embattling for freedom of speech
persists in Africa, it s effectively functioning as a
responsible mass media in the world through executing inspiring,
motivating as well as efforts to develop human socio-economic
development at all time.
Why?
However, without
the attainments of mass media in Africa-the independent process
would have been delay, that’s to denied. We tried to inform the
masses of their rights and liberties, also acknowledging them
the rights to be liberated African, thus the right to make
choices and decide their faiths. The mass media have support the
efforts in insuring peaceful atmosphere in the world, its
functions as an instrument of communication viably made the
world, a global village, Without media the world would have been
a meaningless world.
Why Not?
The mass media
are experiencing suppressions which caused delay in executing
our profession, balancing the sometimes conflicting interests of
security and freedom of rights indeed be difficult-but
democracies have an absolute responsibility to use a rigorous
set of standards to judge, whether curbs on freedom can be
justified by security concerns and should set them against the
rights protected in article 19 of the universal declaration of
human rights which guarantees freedom to seek, receive and
impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of
frontiers.
Essay
The mass media’s
fraternity viably ushered in “ wind of change’ towards
democratization-also played a vital by end of the cold war, and
the fall of the Berlin wall by inspiring the masses, together
with motivating into new life. We change the livelihood of the
masses of the Africans; determination to acquire independence
was the aim and targets of the elites Africans. I remembered the
efforts of the mass media in bringing a new era for Africa-mass
media; it has played a vital role in highlighting public
opinion, which it had succeeded. It forces change from one party
to multi-party states in some countries. Mostly, election
results were announced through private radio to the public
before the national electoral commission announced them. We
created room for public, opportunity to discuss issues affecting
the society.
How can the
mass media be improved?
The mass media
in this country is gradually upgrading, in capacities and also
in the field of journalism. We can bring rapid development in
the mass media with the implementations of programmes that could
enable media practitioners to be responsible in a vain to
effectively execute their profession. We need the collaboration
of the governments, media organizations, and NGOs organization,
concertedly with blitz of efforts, aiming at equipping and
training- besides understanding needs to emerge with the mass
media and the government in a bid to overcome obstacles.
It’s high time
to protect the lives and properties of all citizens, especially
those working to awaken the minds of the masses regarding to the
press freedom in Africa.
What are the
most popular mass media and programs among the students?
Television
broadcasting, and GRTS News reading at 9.00pm.