Mass media in
Gambia
Buya
Jammeh
What is the
state of the state of the mass media in Gambia?
The mass media
has been instrumental in the development of this country and
also played extremely important role in awakening the masses to
the achievement of independence and also played a grate role in
the democratizations process and is upholding it social
responsibility with all the difficulty it face from the
government.
The mass media
has been the leading instrument of receiving and disseminating
information in this country. The state of the mass media is
There
are18 media institutions in the country. Six privately own
newspapers, namely Foroyaa, Daily express Gambia Daily and
Independent are bi-weekly. News and Report is a weekly
magazine. The Point is five times weekly. Daily Observer is
six times weekly. Gambia Radio and Televisions Services (GRTS),
is state own radio and television station, which is mouthpiece
of the government of the day. There are five private radio
stations, all FM West Coast radio, City Limits radio Kids
With Talent Radio, Sud FM Radio, and Radio 1 FM and Citizen FM
Radio. These are not allow to reports on events that happen in
this country, therefore these station only entertain and
advertise. There are five community Radio stations. Brikama,
Farafenni, Basse, Kerewan and Yirriwa community Radio and they
are about community awareness programme.
The mass media
have work very hard to live to standard in this country. In the
second Republic the mass media especially the independent press
has reports on the government of the day the came to power by
coup and have also cover all the activities. The mass media has
cover the three presidential and National Assembly election of
the second Republic and all local government election.
What are some
of the problems Gambian journalist face?
The media Gambia
have suffered so many problems, since era of colonialism, when a
prominent journalist Finden Dally was drag to court for writing
a critical article against the colonial matters, about the
treatment anemia patients, being asked to undress naked and make
a cure for treatment at the then Royal Victoria Hospital in
Banjul. Another such example is the case Ba M. Trawally one of
the oldest Gambian journalist was sentence to one year in
jail. He was found guilty of writing false news, about force
labour work at the former president Sir Dawda Jawara’s farm in
Barajally, but he was later pardon by the then president.
In 1993
the Government of first Republic drafted a draconian law against
media, but media practitioners took up the issue to the
parliament for security, unfortunately the Sir Dawada’s
government was over thrown a year later
In 1995 the
military government of Captain Yaya Jammeh increased the
newspaper registration fees from D1000 to D100, 000. In 1998 the
government set of media commission and introduced the media
commission Act, this required media practitioners to secure
license and to pay an annual registration fee of D500, 00 before
they practice as journalist, excluding the state media and
journalist. Meanwhile the Gambia Press Union with the help of
other stakeholders took the matter to the supreme court of the
Gambia and fortunately for the GPU, the act was repeal by the
National Assembly.
Three years
after the repeal of the media commission Act, the same National
Assembly enacted the Newspaper amendment act 2002, which
required all media houses sign a bond of D500, 000 from the
initial D1000, 000 for registration of newspaper. The
National Assembly enacted the criminal code against journalist
under which two journalists Lamin M Fatty and Fatou Jaw Manneh
are standing trial on charges of sedition and false publication
under the criminal code.
Laws in the
Gambia are very stiff against journalist and the environment is
also hostile, because it is very difficult for a journalist to
remedy a problem if his or her rights is violated. A typical
example is the murder case of Deyda Hydara who was murdered by
unknown assailants on December 16, 2004. Since then there has
been no case file in the courts against the culprits and instead
the out come of the investigation blame him for the cause of his
death. It is exactly one year since Chief Ebrima Manneh was
detained under police custody without any criminal charges
against him. Several other journalists have also fled the
country for fear of being jail.
What is the
media history in the Gambia?
Media
history in the Gambia started in the era British colonial rule,
the Bathurst times started in 1871 and closed down in
1874,Bathurst Observer and the West African Gazette started in
1883 and folded in 1888.After the birth of the Gambia
intelligencer came into existence 1896.
Edward Francis
Small in 1922 established a newspaper called the outlook
choosing carefully its issues addressing subjects relevant to
National and workers interest and fighting for the struggle for
independence.
In the early
50’s the Vanguard stated being edited by the late MB Jones
William Charles
Dixon Colley a renown Gambian journalist started a newspaper
call the Nation in the early 60’s to fight against corruption in
the former regime, the Torch, founded and edited by Sanna Manneh,
Echo, The New Gambia founded by Ba M Tarawally and Africa
Nyaato come into existence, Sam Sarr, Halifa Sallah and Sedia
Jatta came up with the Foroyaa Newspaper around 1979,in 1990 the
Daily Observer came into being, established by Kenneth Y. Best,
from Liberia followed by The Point Newspaper in 1991 jointly own
by Pap Saine, Baboucarr Gaye and the late Deyda Hydara, News
and Report magazine edited by Sweabou Conateh in 1992, Gambia
Daily in 1994 state own newspaper, The Inquirer newspaper edited
Musa S. Sheriff in 1999 and The Independent newspaper edited by
Baba Galleh Jallow in 1999 .
The Gambia
media code of ethics
The Gambia Press
Union has a code of ethics, but it is not binding on all
journalists, for the reason that the state media may not fully
adhere to the content of the code ethics.
Do
advertisers bring undue pressure on the mass media when it comes
to covering certain stories?
In the Gambia
advertisers do not put pressure on the mass media, when it comes
to covering certain stories, it may be happening, but we are yet
to come across such cases
What is the
relationship between the mass media and the government?
The relationship
between the media and government of the Gambia is not cordial,
because it is base on misconception; government seen the private
media as a mouthpiece for the opposition.
What is role
of the mass media in Gambia?
The role of the
Gambian mass media is to create awareness to the general
citizenry on the day-to-day affairs of the present day
government and social issues affecting the lives people and
provide entertainment for the public.
Are the mass
media performing its duty well? Why? Or why not?
The media has
not been performing its duties well because of the hostile
environment in which we operate. Access to information from
government officials by the private press is a major problem,
secondly there is no motivation for practicing journalists and
there is fear among to give divergent views.
How can the
media be improved?
The mass media
in the Gambia can improved if there is effective and sustainable
capacity building programme for journalist, motivation and free
access to information and press freedom.
What are the
most popular mass media and programs among the student?
The mass media
programs among the students in class that are working for
independents media house are to cover criminal case against two
journalists that is presently in magistrate court and also
update report on the disappearance of our colleague Ebrima
Mennah. The arrest USA base journalist Fatou Jaw Manneh and
trial of Lamin Fatty journalist of the closed Independent
Newspaper is the most popular mass media programs among the
students.