Gambia's Radio Stations Comes Under Scrutiny

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Gambia's Radio Stations Comes Under Scrutiny

Saturday, 16 February 2013 18:13

(JollofNews) – As World Radio' s Day was celebrated on February 13th, the role and impact of the country's FM and community radio stations continue to be a subject for debates in many media circles.

In the absence of news programming in most of the privately-owned radio stations, there is less opportunity to address administrative and financial corruption, discuss development policies, unveil daily injustices, and provide ideas and solutions.

This prevailing situation has hampered the freedom of expression of ordinary citizens and constitutes a major obstacle to the dissemination of information despite the fact that the advent of the Second Republic has witnessed a proliferation of many private radio stations across the country.

Since the growth in the number of radios is yet to open a window of opportunity for Gambians, many journalists have expressed concerns over the need for proprietors of radio stations to fulfil the duty to inform.

Alieu Famara Sagnia, country director of the International Centre for Journalists (ICFJ), expressed his big disappointment over a situation he described as "sad", stressing that even the state-owned Gambia Radio Television Services (GRTS) is not playing the role it is supposed to play.

Mr Sagnia cited neighbouring Senegal as example where radio services represent the country's main media.

"When you see what they do and you compare it to a country like ours, then you'll realise that the Gambian audience is missing a lot," he told JollofNews.

"It is true that many radio stations have been registered in recent years, but the fact remains that radio stations under the First Republic had more freedom compare to now where their activities have been restricted.

“What happened to Taranga FM is a case in point. Similarly, the cases of Citizen FM and Sud FM Banjul constitute enough evidence to show that radio stations are not free to do the kind of programming that the staff or the proprietor want to do."

Saikou Jammeh, editor of the closed Daily News and who also doubles as a stringer for IPI, said although the radio industry is saturated, proprietors and journalists are shying away from their responsibility of informing the public.

Acknowledging the fact that radio stations are still limited and ineffective in The Gambia, Mr Jammeh called on proprietors to bear in mind that the medium constitutes the most significant window that could provide the Gambian Diaspora with news about conditions in the country.

"Radio has a very important role to play in this country. For anyone that has to come into news business that should be cardinal to you. You must inform the public!"
Written by Abdoulie John

Comments

+4 #7 2013-02-19 17:38

Quoting Assan:

Agreed... Inevitably, change will come, my brother... Let's keep-up the grassroots media lobby... Grassroots lobbying effort can be wisely implemented by using media to expand the outreach..

Hopefully very soon,Dr Assan. Grassroot media lobby is a great idea and will be more effective if our people in the Gambia can also have access to jollofnews and other medias.
The dictatorship in the Gambia is an obstacle to our progress as a nation and the division among the opposing leaders is also an obstacle in the struggle to dismantle that dictatorship.
Dictator jammeh is already expose now, so we need to UNITE/be orgnised and move on to isolate him and his bandit regime.

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0 #6 2013-02-19 02:15

Correction: I meant, "these forums"

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+3 #5 2013-02-19 02:13

Quoting b4africa:

Thks Dr Assan.The reason for unity is that legislative which is dictatorail,men t to close the political space for the oppositions,whe n there is a democratic legislative there is no need for unity.Unity is needed to strongly/effectively demand dictator jammeh to change those legislatives,an d if he refused then the united body should be strong enough to come with plans,initiativ es,ways & means to dislocate vampire jammeh.
If there is no political space,one cannot form "grass root"politicains especailly in the opposition parties.Dictator jammeh is the only one who is forming that"grass root"supporters who not politicains but bandits..

Agreed... Inevitably, change will come, my brother... Let's keep-up the grassroots media lobby... Grassroots lobbying effort can be wisely implemented by using media to expand the outreach... For example this forum has helped evolve my position... Thanks to you, Bax, and others..

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+4 #4 2013-02-18 19:49

Quoting Assan:

Unfortunately,l ack of consensus and organization within the opposition parties,can partly be blamed for legislative failures in Gambia

Thks Dr Assan.The reason for unity is that legislative which is dictatorail,men t to close the political space for the oppositions,whe n there is a democratic legislative there is no need for unity.Unity is needed to strongly/effectively demand dictator jammeh to change those legislatives,an d if he refused then the united body should be strong enough to come with plans,initiativ es,ways & means to dislocate vampire jammeh.
If there is no political space,one cannot form "grass root"politicains especailly in the opposition parties.Dictator jammeh is the only one who is forming that"grass root"supporters who not politicains but bandits.
There will be more strenght,courag e and hope if we speak in one voice and the inter.community will listen to/respect our demands better if we kock at their doors with one hand.

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+4 #3 2013-02-18 14:24

B4AFRICA, my bro, I feel your passion, for consensus within the opposition.. Life is easy for anyone who has power or authority if no-one questions their use of that power.. Life is extremely difficult if alongside power and authority there is effective opposition..

Without effective opposition then good decision making on difficult or controversial matters is almost impossible.. Arrogance and ignorance dominate in GAMBIA, because, the only voices heard in our lagislative process are always in agreement.. Any decision important enough to be taken by government is also important enough to be challenged..

Unfortunately, lack of consensus and organization within the opposition parties, can partly be blamed for legislative failures in Gambia.. Any action of government should be challenged by intelligent, reasoned opposition..

Even better, Jammeh's opposition should also be within the people, it is call a "grassroots movement"..

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+5 #2 2013-02-17 17:15

I believe Gambian (radio) journalists are capable,equippe d and ready to provide the type/kind of services that the public needs to be education,to be informed and to exercise their civic duty of holding officials to account (accountability )...The obstacle is the regime,that preaches one thing,but practices quite the opposite...

Since they are bent on mystifying themselves,thro ugh the spread of false and misleading information by way of propaganda,any attempt,by any radio station,to demystify them is seen as subversion...And instantly clamped on by illegal and arbitrary use of force...Even their own corrupted judicial system will not dare close radio stations that are not inciting people to violence,not being subversive,but merely providing people with the medium to fulfil their civic duties..

But only fools will try to restrict the spread of information in this day and age..

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+7 #1 2013-02-17 08:08

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"You must inform the public!"

Can you please inform us about opposing leaders,their stands or their failure to organise,unit and working together.??
Can you the journalists please engage the opposing leaders to start an effective round table discussion??

If the opposing leaders believed that they cannot handle the situation alone/individually then they should either unit or dismantle their opposing parties to give ways for new versions.

Every sector in the Gambia is affected by the dictatorship,so why can`t the opposing leaders effectively work with jornalists and civil societies to come with plans that can be implemented to dislocate dictator jammeh and to dismantle the dictatorship?

"None but ourselves can free our minds" and to free our country.

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