New Online Newspaper Born in The
One may not hesitate to ask the question: Why should journalists go online in a country where the authorities see online journalism as a clandestine job?
The answer is: Every thing has a beginning and there must always be pioneer(s). The coming up of The Gambia Watchdog (the newly born online paper) as an investigative online newspaper was felt necessary when the pioneer Mr. Baboucarr Ceesay and some young Gambian journalists decided to devote their time to investigative reporting, which is a rare undertaken for journalists in the country now. It is only the online Gambian journalists who dominated reporting on online news.
We know that it is going to be a struggle and we have to do all that we can to run and sustain this paper but only with support.
However, we are soliciting support from all supporters and those whose heart beat in unison with the heart of the silent majority. We welcome all forms of supports that can help us develop the site from a sub-domain to custom domain. We also need materials like laptops and infact any connection to donor agencies interesting in media development in
We have difficulties in frequent uploading of latest news due to lack of equipment like laptop and digital recorders and digital cameras. We are with the conviction that we can be a very vibrant online investigative newspaper in
Don't also forget to spread the word about our existence so that many people out there can be browsing our site.
To remind some of my mentors; Dr. Flemings and Dr. Toyin Falola, I have accepted for the annual African Conference on two occasions but could not make it. But I am very much preparing for the forthcoming one in 2011.
Our URl is www.gambiawatchdog.yolasite.com
We can be reached on 00220 9734824/3647685
Or Email. editorgambiawatchdog@yahoo.com
Mr. Baboucarr Ceesay
Editor-in-Chief/Publisher
The
Below is our first editorial.
Read:
The Birth of The
We are partners in development not antagonists
As the online media has become an important component in the body of the global media, The Gambia Watchdog has also emerged to help the readership learn about the news as soon as they happen by playing a crucial role in coverage and monitoring of major events.
Amidst the lack of culture and knowledge from officials having problem keeping up with all that is happening in this world of technology, we prefer to be seen as partners in development and not antagonists as it has been.
In the interest of our common progress, authorities should draw more attention to the importance of the media and journalists in a democracy and work to ensure that everybody can express their views freely without fear. An old man told me that "attempt to stifle the freedom of expression and that of press is like sealing the spout and lid of a boiling kettle, and when the steam has no way out it will forcefully evaporate explosively."
It is high time for journalists to be considered a fundamental part of our development. Journalists are the voices of the country both at home and abroad whether we believe it or not.
The old huge gap existing between officials and journalists which is increasingly generating fear and mistrust should be history now, because we both have to work together to keep up with the pace of progress to be champions of democracy so as to remain in humanity's good memory forever.
Authorities must also understand that the time of censorship, harassment, intimidation, arbitrary arrest and detention of journalists should be gone for good.
It's indeed a big a disgrace to see journalists been dragged to courts only because they have expressed their opinions or reporting the news. Both the media and government have a role to play in development.
If one follows how media practitioners are treated by authorities in general one would wonder whether the media being the forth estate or the forth arm of government is not just lip service.
In 1787 Thomas Jefferson the primary drafter of the American Declaration for Independence wrote to Edward Carrington who was sent by Virginia to the Continental Congress from 1786 to 1788 as a delegate: "The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. But I should mean that every man should receive those papers and be capable of reading them."
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Infact all draconian media laws should be repealed and media related offenses be decriminalized as the way forward.
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