Meet me in Kaabu, Guinea Bissau

The Guinea trip is expected to provide a unique platform for an intellectual intercourse

The day has been set already, students reading history at the University of the Gambia are warming up for what is likely to be an adventurous journey to the West African state of Guinea Bissau during the first week of next month.

The initiative was borne out of the lacuna that exist in the study of regional history. It has been observed there exist some challenges as regard the untold history of Africa and the story of the movement of people from one place to the other. In Guinea Bissau for example, the students and their lecturers are expected to gather some oral accounts from the people in Kaabu about the political, social and economic relations that exist years before the colonial conquest.

As a matter of fact, students studying history face series of challenges, not that books are not available but the issue most often than not, relate to the age-old wisdom tha the white man wrote our history. The University's forthcoming trip is being facilitated by a young and promising lecturer Ensa Touray, himself a historian.

Preparations for the trip is in full swing, with students contributions and pledges from some institutions, the trip is undoubtedly going to be expensive. Hopes are high that everything is going to turn out quite well for those warming up for Kaabu and Kansala in Guinea Bissau.


For more information contact: Ensa Touray, tel: 7664805
Buba SM Ceesay, tel 6517397

‘BIT OF A DO’
It seems fashionable to mock the British monarchy, says Barbara Scott writing from the UK the day before the D Day.

As I’m sure you are aware there is a Royal Wedding taking place on Friday 29th April here in the UK. The Queen’s eldest grandson and second in line to the throne is getting married to his fiance Kate (or as she is now known as, Katherine) Middleton. The last Royal Wedding was his father’s to Camilla Parker Bowles, but as it was his (and her’s) second marriage it was much lower key. This one will be the complete opposite, and then some! ‘A bit of a do’ as we say here. About 1.5 million (yes that is correct!) people are expected to turn up in London to witness what will be a spectacular event. It will be broadcast worldwide so I do hope you will be able to watch it in The Gambia.

We have 8 hour coverage on our TV’s but I expect you will see highlights on the world news stations. If the weather is as glorious as it is at the moment it really will look amazing. You will see all the pomp and pageantry that the Royal household are masters at. The gold coach for the bride and groom, the household cavalry in their bright red jackets and white trousers mounted on their highly trained horses. The guardsmen, who are synonymous with London, in their bearskin helmets marching to a brass band. The crowds will be cheering and waving union jacks and wearing red, white and blue hats.

Yes, there will probably be some who would say that it is an extravagance in these recession hit times but the crowds will shout them down. Bring it on I say. It seems fashionable to mock the British monarchy but I’d rather live with one than have a jumped up dictatorship any time. Every one loves a wedding celebration don’t they. It lifts the spirits and makes us take pride in our heritage. I think even staunch republicans will not be able to stop themselves feeling a little bit moved by it all.

Society and the environment

On Wednesday morning a middle age woman returned from the market, only to discover that part of the compound had been swallowed up in flames, the children and everyone was shouting, calling for support to extinguish the fire. The neighbors and thanks to the Fire and Rescue Service some valuables were completely removed from the danger zone, unable to stop the razing fire that was too fast to be tamed quickly.

Bigay Faye's condition is perhaps completely different from the stories we are hearing about the devastation in Japan. Last Friday's tsunami is one incident that will likely in the minds of those who witnessed it for a very long time, with deaths estimated to be more than three thousands, the number of displaced persons continue to rise.

What is even striking here is that the woman who lost most of her belongings to an inferno can be sure that her next-door friends will put up with her temporarily perhaps until such a time she fix her house. Whilst the situation in Japan has been further compounded by the health complications of the tsunami and its attendant problems, the Gambian woman and members of her household and the Japanese people know full well that the force of nature was too powerful and that whenever it wreck havoc, precious lives will be lost.


In a world accustomed to legal instruments and all the talk about Justice, Fairness and Accountability, one thing that humankind is yet to do is sue nature for sometimes pouncing on society and the environment for unknown reasons. This society has to blame someone for all the wrong problems, but it is a world that will not blame nature openly for so many earthquakes, mudslides and tsunamis that has perpetually wreck havoc on society and the environment.

Society and the environment, will you take the blame for climate change and rising sea levels?

Ethics in our times

Sadly this is not always the case in our national press. There is a saying in the world of journalism that you may or may not come across. This is ''Never let the truth get in the way of a good story'' - writes Barbara Scott from the UK.

Newspapers are good at pushing the agenda

I read with interest your report on the lecture you gave on Ethics in Journalism. My years working for the newspaper industry fired up an interest in journalism that has never gone away. I worked as an editorial assistant which brought me into contact with journalists covering everything from local news to obituaries! Although the paper I worked for was local it was, nonetheless, very popular and had a large circulation. On the whole the journalists I worked for did have a very strong sense of ‘fair play’ when it came to reporting stories. Especially so if it was of a controversial or sensitive nature.
Sadly this is not always the case in our national press. There is a saying in the world of journalism that you may or may not have come across. This is “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story”! This is often the case when it comes to reporting sensational stories. We have what are referred to as ‘Red Top’ newspapers. These are the sort of papers that thrive on sordid tales, usually to do with politicians or celebrities, that they cynically describe as ‘exposures’. The Red Top label refers to the newspaper’s logos which are, as you may have guessed, splashed in red across the top. They are also called tabloids. So when you hear the term ‘the tabloids’ you automatically know that it is being used in a derogatory way.
Some of the stories serve a good purpose for example exposing corruption in politics and business. Others just cater for the type of reader who enjoys stories of sexual misconduct of football players or pop and film stars. I suppose you could argue that they are only doing their readers a service by showing how weak and shallow these people are but in reality it is all down to money. The more outrageous the story the more readers they get. That is when journalistic ethics go out of the window.
Britain prides itself on its freedom of the press and freedom of speech. However, more and more we are seeing this freedom being abused by unscrupulous editors. They have no qualms about ruining a person’s reputation and even if they are sued (and they often are) they take it as something that goes with the territory. What are a few thousand pounds in compensation compared to hundreds of thousands in revenue? As long as there are people who enjoy reading this sort of drivel and journalists to feed it to them the ‘ethics of journalism’ will always be at risk.

Editor's Note: The issues are so many that we tend to forget or ignore what should be done to overcome the challenges, Barbara you are right. Journalists sometime have themselves to blame for certain things, freedom of speech, as they say must not tempt to shout FIRE, FIRE in the Cinema hall to raise false alarm. So what would happen if people lose their lives and others are injured? In the end, what would you say? Freedom of speech? I suppose.

As regard your comment on what I would call intrusive journalism, I think we have had enough of that recently, and it seems this is the way the press is tilting towards for all the wrong reasons.

Ethics in Journalism

Delivering a lecture on ethics in journalism
at the Gambia College in Brikama
1st February 2011


Budding journalists at the Gambia College took time out of their busy schedules to attend a lecture on ethics in journalism presented by Ebrima Baldeh, a student at the University of the Gambia and a Senior Producer at the national Television.
We have decided to reproduce the lecture for the sake of the records.

'Journalistic ethics and Standards include principles of ethics and of good practice to address the specific challenges faced by professional journalists. These principles are mostly widely known as ‘Code of Conduct or ethics’.

Philosophical and theoretical concepts

Ethics is derived from the word ‘ethos’, the Ethics is concerned with basic questions about what is right and what is wrong and it involves the character and conduct of individuals and institutions. It is also defined as a branch of philosophy dealing with the moral aspects of life.

Ethics reflects a society’s norms about what morally right and wrong.

A mirror

Journalistic codes of ethics are designed as guides through numerous difficulties to assist journalists in dealing with ethical dilemmas. The codes and canons provide journalists a framework for self-monitoring and self-correction as they pursue professional assignment.

Principles

Modern utilitarian thinking originated from the 19^th Century Philosphers Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. The basic tenet in their formulations hold that we are to determine what is right and wrong by considering what will yield the best ratio of good to bad for the general society.

Utilitarianism provides a clear method for evaluating ethical choices;

1. Calculate all the consequences both good and bad that would result from each of our options; then

2. Choose the alternative that maximizes value or minimizes loss.

Veil of Ignorance

Justice is blind. Philosopher John Rawls argued that justice emerges when everyone is treated with social differentiations.

In other way, the veil of ignorance is related to fairness.

Rawl advocated all parties concerned in a problem situation should be placed behind a barrier where roles and social differentiations are gone and each participant is treated as an equal member of society as a whole.

In another sense, Veil of ignorance suggests that we should structure our actions to protect the most vulnerable members of society.

Ethical Principles

The principle of the Golden Mean

Moral virtue lies between two extremes. Aristotle noted that too much food as well as too little food spoils health. Moderation is the key.

In ethical dilemmas, the proper way of behaving lies between doing too much and doing too little. Always try to keep a balance between necessity of informing the public and the need to preserve safety.

The Categorical Imperative

According to German Philospher Immanuel Kant, what is right for one is right for all. The measure of correctness of our behavior, Kant suggests that we act according to the rules that we would want to see universally applied.

In Kant’s formulation, categorical means unconditional –no extenuating circumstances, no exceptions. Right is right and should be done, no matter what the consequences. The categorical imperatives are discovered by an examination of conscience which informs us what is right. If after performing, an act we feel uneasy or guilty, we should probably violated our conscience.

Principle of determination

Do not treat people as means to an end. This might be summarized as ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’.

Human beings have unconditional value apart from any and all circumstances. Their basic right to self-determination should not be violated by using them as simply a means to accomplish a goal.

Theories

Social Responsibility theory

The media have obligations to society and media ownership is a public trust.

News media should be truthful, accurate, fair, objective and relevant

The media should provide a forum for ideas

The media should be free but self-regulated

Media should follow agreed codes of ethics and professional standards

Under some circumstances, society may need to intervene in the public interest.

International Principles of Professional Ethics in Journalism

( UNESCO)

- People’s Right to true information: Include the right of people to express themselves freely through media of communication

- The journalist’s dedication to objective reality provides the public with adequate material to facilitate the formation of an accurate and comprehensive picture of the world.

- The Journalist’s Social Responsibility: Emphasizes the fact that journalistic information is a social good not a commodity.

- The Journalist’s Professional Integrity: Deals with matters of professional ethics

- Public access and participation: includes right of rectification and reply.

- Respect for human dignity and privacy

- Respect for the public interest

- Respect for universal values and diversity of cultures; calls for respect for human rights, social progress, national liberation, peace, democracy

- Elimination of war and other evils confronting humanity. Do not justify aggression, arms proliferation, violence, hatred, discrimination

- Promotion of a New World Information and Communication Order: Encourage decolonization and democratization of information and communication flow.

Journalistic ethics

Truth and accuracy

Impartiality and fairness

Respect for individual privacy

Independence from vested interest

Respect for law

Moral decency and good taste

Objectivity

Unequivocal separation between news and opinion

Unequivocal separation between news and advertisement

Reporter/ Journalist must avoid conflict of interest-

Incentives to report a story with a given slant. This include not taking bribes and not reporting on stories that affect the reporter’s personal, economic and political interests

Competing points of view are balanced and fairly characterized and reported

Persons who are subject to adverse news stories are allowed a reasonable opportunity to respond to the adverse information before the story is published or broadcast

Interference with reporting by any entity including censorhip must be disclosed.

Sources

Confidentiality of anonymous sources

Accurate attribution of statements made by individuals or others. Pictures, sound and quotations must not be presented in a misleading context. Simulations, re enactments, alterations and artistic imaginings must be clearly labeled as such, if not avoided.

Plagiarism is strongly stigmatized and in many cases illegal

Accuracy

Events with a single eyewitness are reported with attribution.

Events with two or more independent eyewitness may be reported as facts. All controversial facts are reported with attribution.

Corrections are published when errors are discovered or pointed out

Defendants at trial are treated only as having ‘allegedly’ committed crimes until conviction

Opinion surveys and statistical information deserve special treatment to communicate in precise terms any conclusions to contextualize the results and to specify accuracy including estimated error and methodical flaws.

The essence of journalism is a discipline of verification

It separates journalism from fiction or propaganda

Never add anything that was not there

Never deceive the audience

Be transparent as possible about your methods and motives

Rely on your own original reporting

Skeptical editing

Adjudicating a story line by line, statement by statement, editing the assertions in the stories as well as the facts.

Accuracy Checklist

Is the lead of the story sufficiently supported?

Has someone double checked the facts?

Is the background material required to understand the story complete?

Are all the stakeholders in the story identified and have representatives from that side been contacted and given a chance to talk?

Does the story pick sides or make subtle value judgments?

Are all the quotes accurate and properly attributed?

Assume Nothing

Importance of verifying presumed facts

Don’t rely on official or news accounts. Get close as you can to primary sources. Be systematic. Corroborate.'

Email: ebrima.baldeh@utg.edu.gm

Reference: Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi

Re- Television these days

Can you imagine life without TV?

'Soaps, as opposed to a drama series, are at their best implausible but at their worst they can actually affect some people’s concept of real life. I expect you have heard the term ‘life imitating art’, well in my experience it is certainly true of soaps.' Barbara Scott reacts to our piece on Television.

I was interested to read your piece on the influence that television has had on people in your country. Here in the UK we have had television for much longer of course and I believe it is a wonderful means of communicating ideas and educating the audiences that watch it. Not everyone is able to travel and see the world and learn about different cultures or view magnificent sights. Television makes this possible for anyone who is able to gain access to one. It is even more important to those who, for one reason or another, aren’t able to read the papers to find out what is going on in the world. Just like the radio was when it was first invented it is has enriched many people’s lives, especially in the developing world. It also has great entertainment value such as dramas, films, documentaries, quiz programmes and yes, even some of the soaps, or 'soap operas' as they were once known. Did you know the phrase originated in the US because the programmes were usually sponsored by companies producing soap products?

However, having said all that, television, like other forms of the media, also has a downside. I believe that sometimes that influence can be a negative one, especially in the world of ‘soaps’. I myself have no love of them so maybe I am prejudiced. Soaps, as opposed to a drama series, are at their best implausible but at their worst they can actually affect some people’s concept of real life. I expect you have heard the term ‘life imitating art’, well in my experience it is certainly true of soaps.

The story lines of the most popular ones in the UK are quite violent and the behavior of the characters both aggressive and confrontational. Escapism it might be but unfortunately I have noticed how it has rubbed off on some of those who watch them. The acceptance of bad behavior and use of abusive language seems more prevalent than it ever was. Everyone in these programmes seem to be so horrible to one another and the story lines are so negative. Yes, life can be like that sometimes but not ALL the time. I suppose it could be called harmless but there is evidence to suggest that isn’t always the case.

You may think that I am exaggerating but if anyone has ever watched any of them they will know what I mean. Of course the more dramatic and outrageous the plot the more followers the series will gain. There are so many murders, rapes, adulterous affairs, explosions, fires and road accidents it is a wonder there is anyone in the cast left to carry on! There are even people who believe these characters are real. They should be pitied but I find it a bit disconcerting. I often hear people discussing the plots as if they are happening to someone they know! Maybe it is an age thing with me but here they are watched almost from the cradle to the grave. Children are brought up with them as part of their life. Some people plan their social life round them, not going out until they have watched the latest episode. I am often looked upon as 'odd' because I don't follow any of them. That's fine by me. I was never one to follow the crowd.

The day they start to make a soap that leaves me feeling uplifted and inspired and manages to make me laugh occasionally will be the day I tune in. I think the chances of that are very slim don 't you?

Editor's comments:

Well I have to confess that in the past I used to relish in soap operas especially the ones whose themes specifically relate to my interest areas. The point is that nowadays, these operas are still entertaining their audience I agree but my bone of contention is about the art of imitation which you dealt with exponentially. The more we watch them, the more we tend to imitate and be like them.

EB

Television these days

Have some nice time for the screen,television viewers in The Gambia do watch other programmes when there is nothing on soap operas.




So much about television these days are image and personality cult building and nurturing, some people have gone further to glorify TV to the extent that their entire lives are depended on it. But critics of television described the collateral damage the medium inflict in the minds of the peoples, those watching.

Graphic and gory television footage has the potential to sweep the audience, and carry them along. That's why film actors are often reverie in so many places in the world. Companies and individuals have used the power of TV to win the hearts of the populace. How do they do this? The media tend to feel that by following actors, and famous people is one sure way of getting more and more people read, listen and watch them. Because the film actors are relatively inclined towards what they wanted and how they are hoping to sustain life on top, they can do something great to impress the masses.

In the Gambia even though there is no official data available as regard the number of people who watch television, some estimate that three of ten compounds have access to television. And in the rural areas, people spend more time watching TV than in the city where virtually everyone has a TV. The reason is partly due to the fact in the rural areas, information from the government is difficult to come-by, so they tend to see or regard TV as one way of getting the clear picture of what had happened. Whereas, in the city where there are various to find out what had happened, or what is about to happen. Though, people watch television, sometimes due to time they don't watch at all. The most widely watched programme on Gambia television is soap operas surprisingly from Latin America where stories about love, betrayal, determination has found a place in the hearts and minds of the Gambian audience. Sixteen years since the television was founded in the Gambia, more and more viewers have remained focus, and unyielding about what are interested in watching. Most importantly the character of the actors, their behaviors, and the mannerism they exude strike some resemblance back home.
Our people think that the Latin American actors are probably one of their own, which in other words mean they are essentially aligning themselves and tilting towards the direction of cinematic concepts.

The Love story from India is resonating around the country and it seems no one wants to be left out in the frenzy gripping my native country. Whether it is professional film editors, journalists, or the market women who have not been to western school, soap operas is the programme to watch. Don't bother yourself to call, who would pick the call, I bet my last dalasi nobody have your time. Children sit with their parents and watch from start to finish the various soap operas played on TV.


The peoples are watching these films with the hope that they will learn about what is happening in other societies, believing that they will learn some lessons from the film. Which is why nowadays everyone is trying to get the attention of the people through the glamor and sometimes deceptive conspiracy theory of the television.

For example the portrayal of children dying in squalid conditions is meant to spur action, what about the story of a village farmer in a small country. Is that appealing to a South Korean? In other words what interest do that Asian has about a poor rural farmer?

Sometimes with television can better explained and linked in a systematic manner, Television these days can almost do anything.

By Ebrima Baldeh, Blogger, the Gambia.