Fast-rising political movement- Change Front Movement – led by Sulayman Waan has laid down series of reform measures that its administration would look into including enhancing the work of journalists while promoting professionalism to the core.
According to the leader, Waan, part of his-led movement’s policy is to create subvention for the media fraternity through the Gambia Press Union (GPU) to ensure journalists feel the existence of a media subvention in the country.
Waan, a journalist, also acknowledged that the media being the fourth organ in any democratic government yet faces serious challenges that limit its growth and effectiveness in the country.
In his media policy seen by this medium, the movement observes that The Gambia’s media landscape is facing numerous challenges such as financial constraints, low professional capacity, lack of sufficient materials, political and legal pressure, and weak infrastructure and technology.
The journalist-cum-politician said the Gambian media lacks sustainable funding making media houses to rely only on weak advertisement. “Very few media houses receive donation in the country and those donations are based on request, mostly from international organizations,” he stated.
The CFM media policy also observes that low professional capacity is also affecting a great deal as many journalists lack training opportunities, leading to gaps in professionalism and specialization.
He indicated that in series of instances the Gambian media has been facing political interference and occasional intimidation. This pressure has forced several media houses to become “pro-government, limiting accountability”.
“Since the coming of the Barrow administration in 2017,” the movement notes, “the Gambia Press Union has been advocating for amendment of certain media draconian laws such as the cybercrime law, the troubling false publication and false broadcasting laws but to no avail.”
The Change Front leader explained that the media policy also captures weak infrastructure and technology, as several Gambian journalists and media houses continue to face challenges in their daily operations.
‘‘Therefore, they cannot access modern equipment and better internet to do their work effectively,” he noted, saying: “In the policy document, the movement states ‘a government under our leadership will work with journalists, media chiefs, and the public to overcome these obstacles and build a vibrant, independent, and professional media sector’.
“Following our research, the movement came to the realization that the Gambian media fraternity is facing severe financial constraints leading many journalists, mostly the young ones, to absolute poverty.”
The absolute poverty in Gambian media has rendered several senior journalists to abandon the newsroom, affecting the public’s right to access to credible and timely information, he noted: ‘‘Therefore, a government under the leadership of the Change Front will come with a law that would ensure annual subvention to the media fraternity without any interference in the media houses’ editorial policies.”
He promised that his government would ensure the GPU Media Bargaining Agreement is implemented to the core to ensure young journalists receive lucrative monthly salaries.
He further stated that a government under the Change Front leadership will work with media chiefs to ensure all reporters get adequate and consistent risk allowance, clothing allowance, transport allowance, health insurance and rental allowance.
‘‘Our led-government will make sure even interns in media houses receive good stipend and allowance because we believe every reporter is at risk and must be compensated for that,” he said.
Mr Waan emphasised that a CF government would introduce tax incentives for private businesses that advertise with local media and establish a media development fund to support innovation, investigative journalism, and community radios in line with CF’s media policy.
He mentioned that a CF government would work in partnership with the GPU to create a National Journalism Training Programme to enhance journalists’ professionalism in the industry, stating that these media programmes and policies would promote media financial stability and motivate more journalists to stay in the media.
He further said several Gambian journalists and media houses have faced intimidation, harassment and discrimination in “the so-called New Gambia”.
“In contrast to this, a CF government will guarantee media freedom, access to information and freedom of expression in the country,” he promised, saying: “Our government will work closely with the GPU to amend all troubling draconian laws in the 1997 Constitution and come up with provisions that would protect journalists and whistle-blowers.”
