Media Council of The Gambia Call for application

Media Council of The Gambia

Call for application

Position: Executive Secretary

Salary: Attractive/Negotiable

Reporting to: Chairperson of the Governing Council

Deadline: 4:00pm on Monday June 10^th, 2019

The Media Council of the Gambia invites applications from suitably qualified candidates for the position of EXECUTIVE SECRETARY.   

What we are looking for:  

·         A degree or extensive experience, preferably in media, journalism, law or management

·         Must be computer literate. Skills in Word, Excel and PowerPoint are a must   

·         Must have fair knowledge and skills in project management 

·         Excellent communication skills, including a command of English and at least two major local languages

·         Knowledge of the role, importance and functions of the media as well as media law and ethics 

·         Knowledge of issues of freedom of expression, freedom of information and media freedoms

·         Knowledge of conflict management/resolution or alternative dispute resolution systems  

·         Ability to fundraise and advocate

·         Strong leadership and negotiation skills

·         Skills in financial management is highly appreciated

         

GPU makes a breakthrough with State House on Press Accreditation

A delegation of the Gambia Press Union (GPU), led by the President Sheriff Bojang Jr, Monday morning held a meeting with the Director of Press and Public Relations at the State House on the new press accreditation policy.

The meeting was convened following the Union's disagreement with the new policy which requires journalists to undergo security screening by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) for accreditation to cover the presidency.  The measure was to come into effect on Monday, 1st April.

However, at the meeting this morning, DPPR Amie Bojang-Sissosho said following a discussion with the GPU President and Secretary General and consultation with her State House colleagues, her office came to the conclusion that the screening of journalists by NIA would not go ahead.

She however said the NIA screening requirement has been misconstrued as a restriction and an intimidation of the press. 

“The policy was developed with goodwill and its only objective was to get to know the people covering the presidency because it is a sensitive office,” she said.

GPU meets TRRC

Executive Secretary of  TRRC, Dr. Baba Galleh Jallow

Fajara: January 22, 2018: A Gambia Press Union delegation Tuesday paid a courtesy visit to the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) to discuss issues geared towards strengthening the relationship between the media and the Commission.

The GPU delegation, led by Mr. Sheriff Bojang Jr., President of the country’s umbrella union and professional organisation for journalists, was received in audience by Dr Baba Galleh Jallow, the Executive Secretary of the TRRC, himself a veteran journalist. 

Mr Saikou Jammeh, the GPU Secretary General, said: “It pleases us, greatly, that one of our own is leading this important national process and we are here to convey our delight about that and to offer our support to the work that you do to make it a success.

YJAG vs. SJAG: Commemorating World Press Freedom Day

YJAG SG Sulayman Ceesay

As part of events marking the commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day in The Gambia, the Young Journalists Association of The Gambia (YJAG) will be playing a friendly football match with the Sports Journalists Association of The Gambia (SJAG).

“The match is aimed at promoting the cordial relationship that exists between the two journalists bodies in the country,” said Sulayman Ceesay, YJAG Secretary General. “It will also promote the understanding and friendship between media practitioners in the country.” 

The match will be played at the Serekunda East Mini Stadium on Tuesday May 19, 2015 at 4:00pm prompt.

“This is the second year that YJAG is marking the Day in this fashion. Last year, YJAG engaged the The Gambia Police Force in a friendly match to foster better understanding between the police and the journalists,” Ceesay added.

Mr. WARM and Mr. CLEVER Part 2:

Emil Touray led GPU Executive

Mr. Warm, you need an advice on how to become a good leader. Mr. Warm who is going to tell you how to become a good, is Mr. Clever and he would like to have a session with you together with your lieutenants to tell your team that leadership today is very different from leadership in our parents' generation. The old "top down" style of management just doesn't work anymore. 

Gambian Journalists generally want to be fully engaged, and committed to what they're doing. They want to feel that their work matters in the media-reporting and broadcasting. And they want to believe in the people who are in charge unfortunately, Mr. Warm you fail!

Mr. Warm, you fail to build your career when you were young and now at old age what next!!! Mr. Warm resigns from your position and allows others to continue running the affairs of the union, you served under the past Presidents; Mr. Madi MK Ceesay, Ms. Ndey Tapha Sossesh and your own term- “enough is enough”

What happen to the Board of Advisers of the GPU are they not aware of what is happening at the union for three years not more that five general meetings?  

Mr. Warm, you show signs of impatience with colleagues in the GPU executive as well as the general membership.

GPU set congress date for the third time

Author: Madi Njie Human Rights Defender

According to information from the Gambia Press Union (GPU), the journalists' national union will hold congress on the 18 April 2015, at unknown venue. 

However, venue for the triannual congress is not mentioned in an email message sent to 22 members on 19 March. 

This is the second in time congress date is set without venue mentioned on time. GPU first slated congress on 20 December 2014 and was deferred to 21 March, which was postponed again to 18 April. 

Gibairu Janneh, executive director of GPU state in his two paragraph email message, dated 19 March that reasons for postponing the congress is due to limited compliance of members to pay their membership dues. The 20 December congress was called-off because members protested that they were informed about the congress, but the venue was disclosed a day before the congress. 

Mr. WARM and Mr. CLEVER

Mr. Warm and Mr. Clever in the GPU 9 Executive picture

I have observed a case of leadership choice closely. I should emphasize that both are top-class professionals. I also had the chance to observe the reputations that they left after the choice was made.

To mask the identity of the persons involved and to make the anecdote meaningful, I use the terms “Warm person” and “Clever person” in the narrative that follows. The terms should be interpreted as a tendency. Both were clever and warm. The only difference was that one was perceived as scoring a sort of 8, 5 and the other, a sort of 5, 8 on the Warmth/Intelligence matrix.

Mr. Clever joined the media as a young trainee after a brilliant academic records; gold medal, first class, distinctions, highly spoken of and all else that goes with highly intelligent people. In the media house he first started practicing journalism; Clever impressed the seniors and rose rapidly. Mr. Clever is well known for standing against injustice, impunity and defend human rights violations thus won the heart of many journalists and human rights defenders locally and internationally.

Media practitioners exposed to environmental protection

Group picture of the participants

No fewer than 30 media practitioners mainly editors, web-designers, radio presenters and online reporters from the print and electronic media 15^th March, 2014 hold a day long capacity enhancement on environmental editing, reporting and broadcasting, at the Wellingara Horticulture Model Centre.

                                                 Organised by the Biodiversity Action Journalists-The Gambia (BAJ-Gambia), through funding  from UNDP GEF-Small Grants Programme (UNDEP/GEF-SGP), the grant is meant to implement a twelve-month project on public awareness on ‘Environmental Protection and Mitigation’ nationwide. 

The objective of the project is designed to promote public participation in Protected Area Management of environmental and biodiversity resources for posterity.

BAJ-The Gambia is an environmental and natural resources journalists’ organisation, with a membership of 70 practising journalists from both print and electronic (social) media community radios and youth activists across the country, aimed at advocating  sustainable use of biological and natural resources for generations yet unborn.  

Mamadou Edrisa Njie, BAJ-Gambia social-secretary said the project is meant to protect and mitigate the environment, working in collaboration with Gambia Press Union, National Environmental Agency (NEA), Young Journalists Association of The Gambia (YJAG), MOBSE and other relevant stakeholders across the country.