Our Journey is So Far So Good

                L-R: Swaebou Conate, Bijou Peters, Bakary Sanneh & myself 

“Despite entering a crowded newspaper market, The Daily News quickly establishes itself as the primary source of information in almost all aspect of The Gambia’s development.” So said Kissykissy Mansa, also editor in chief of The Daily News on the occasion of the second anniversary of paper on Wednesday April 6.  

“We take this opportunity to thank all those who congratulated us on our second year anniversary as a paper, by way of joining us here to celebrate.

Our special thanks and appreciation go to Mr Swaebou Conate and Bijou Peters who accepted our offer to deliver on topics despite their busy schedule and old age.  

The Daily News is a private Gambian tri-weekly newspaper that publishes in print and online.

The paper was established on April 6, 2009 by Madi M.K Ceesay, a seasoned Gambian journalist. A CPJ (CPJ) International Press Freedom 2006 Awardee, Mr Ceesay is a former president of The Gambia Press Union.

He had a stint with the banned Independent Newspaper as General Manager before setting up The Gambia’s premier and only media oriented training NGO, Media Agenda in 2006. Media Agenda is the parent company of The Daily News.

Since inception, The Daily News has fiercely guarded the values of free press, anchored on social justice and democracy. Our uncompromising commitment to journalistic integrity has seen the paper grow into a powerful voice bringing to the public the untold stories of the country and beyond.

Despite entering a crowded newspaper market, The Daily News quickly establishes itself as the primary source of information in almost all aspect of The Gambia’s development.

Today – two years on, The Daily News stands out as a major provider of Gambia’s economic, social, political, cultural and sports news without compromising our editorial independence over the choice of issues to address and approaches to adopt. This is something the public appreciates.

Apart from the routine reportage of daily occurrences, The Daily News incorporated a number of innovations. Notable is the introduction of columns such as Kaabefo, Youth Platform, Business Matters, Health, Environment, Entertainment, Human Rights, Women’s Bantaba, Matters of the Heart, Religion and Kissykissymansa, among others.

Our columns supplements the news service with production of op-ed articles that reflects balance of reason so you can be sure of getting insightful and well-researched information. Our columns are anchored by both the staff and non-staff experts who analyse changes and new trends in different aspects of development in such a way as to ensure the widest possible expression of different ideological backgrounds.

Our achievements and challenges

We have been able to expand our frequency, the number of pages and our production within two years of operation. None, but the committed and dedicated staff deserve the greatest share of the commendation for these achievements.  

They are not better paid than others, yet the most committed. They are not better trained nor equipped logistically than others, yet the most ready to deliver quality.

However, the enormity of achievement is not an indication that all is rosy here at The Daily News. We are aware of the need to improve on the content and design of the paper. Our staff need to better motivated, financially and in terms of capacity building since a large number of our reporters are young journalists.

Moreover, there is a need to improve on the logistical capacity of the paper in terms of computers, camera and voice recorders. These are tools that do not only enhance our service delivery, but also assure our protection.

Everyday a number of printing and editorial constraints have affected the timeliness of the publication. We have been trying to feature stories exclusive to us, yet we know that news for yesterday, it is said, is meant for the dustbin.

No excuse to hide information

The media in The Gambia has seen remarkable growth and development. It all augurs well for the future since no democracy can function well without a free press playing its multifaceted role as watchdog role, educator, informer and entertainer on the national scene.

Therefore, one of the many functions of the media, The Daily News included, is to unravel everyday complex behavior for the benefit of our society.

In this regard, state and non state actors should partner with media. There is a need for those in the frontline of public communication to open their doors for the tax payers to know what they are doing on their behalf. That is how a responsive society operates. Transparency should be the order of the day. There is no excuse to hide information.  

Moreover, journalists, like all citizens, must be accorded all the protection of the law in the country that we are proud to call our own. This is where we are born and where we belong.

In all countries, citizens, including journalists, look forward to their government’s protection; to sleep in peace in the comfort of their homes and to leave for and from their work places with the firm belief nothing excessive will happen to them. This is the kind of Gambia us journalist deserve to live in.

However, where media houses can be burnt, where a reporter disappeared untraced, where veterans like Deyda can be gruesomely murdered and worst still, where these crimes go undetected, criminals unpunished, the future of even The Daily News, like all media houses, remains uncertain.

Our appreciation

The Daily News would not have come such a long way without its readers’ attention and support. Individual readers provide us with important feedback on our work and often bring to our attention issues and events that deserve further analysis.

Furthermore, behind the scene workers; the, vendors, compilers, printers are all vital to our survival and our success.

In addition, a country with a government whose activities are shrouded in secrecy, it is not easy to find people willing to divulge information for fear of the consequences. Yet some who have confidence in us or are close to us, do let slip some important information to us for further investigation. Although sound editorial judgment is needed in dealing with such information, without tips what has turned out to be big news stories would not have been know by us and the public at large. These are our collaborators.  A recent example was our story on the University of The Gambia, which was a tip provided to us by a caller who refused to disclose his/her name. But we worked on the tip he/she provided and it turned out to worth a lead story.

It must be stated here that our contributors and sponsors are vital part of our success. These are those who send us letters, commentaries, coverage invitations, advertisements and press releases. Although, the contributors, for instance, come in all shapes and sizes – ranging from politicians to students, as well those concerned with everyday development, I would like to mention few. For instance, veteran journalist Baa Trawally, who some of the young reporters are fond of, especially for the strong article he wrote on the American Pastor’s foiled burning of the Holy Quran, is one of our regular contributors.

Bai Koro Sillah, otherwise ‘Nyuni nenla,’ also a nickname which emanates from the commentary he wrote on the weekly programme on GRTS.

Bijou Peters, is indeed, the most regular contributors. Her articles touch on a range of issues, from human rights to the economy. The latest to join, is an exemplary one in the person of Demba Ali Jawo. He wrote quite a good number of articles, but the ones on: ‘Why Britain Cuts Aid to Gambia,’ the Deputy Speaker Extravagant life style and National Assembly’s capitulation to the president are well appreciated by the public, as the feedback, we had indicated.

Mr Dawda Faye of The Point is worth mentioning here and some other young ones namely Modou Joof of The Voice and Momodou Edrissa Njie, my own mentor of News and Report.   We encourage you all to write more.

To UNESCO-NATCOM, our unreserved thanks to you for the timely provision of two computers, two cameras and voice recorders which happen to be the only tools we are using at the present to do our work.

Together with you all, we are able to come this far and encouraged to do more.”