Hi Ebrima, I thought Tiny Rowlands and Robert Maxwell are no longer alive. Just curious. Cheers. Momodou >From: ebrima ceesay <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Amadou Samba buys the Daily Observer >Date: Wed, 26 May 1999 09:28:16 PDT > >Gambia L, > >It was my wish not to comment, as at now, on the decision taken by Kenneth >Best, the expelled Liberian-born proprietor of the Observer Company, to >sell >the company, including the newspaper, to Amadou Samba, a Gambian >lawyer-turned entrepreneur, because of two main factors. > >Firstly, I am yet to get all the facts concerning the sale. Since the news >of the sale broke out, I have been trying, without success, to contact >Kenneth Best in Washington DC, to find out what actually led to his >decision >to sell the Company and whether, apart from Amadou Samba, there were other >bidders. > >Secondly, I must confess, at the onset, that while in the Gambia, Amadou >and >I have enjoyed what I would describe as a very privileged relationship and, >consequently, I am at pains to openly question his motives for purchasing >the the Daily Observer now, even though I am a little bit suspicious, given >his close links to the Jammeh regime. > >It is important for me to point out that my friendly relationship with Mr >Samba goes back to 1992, when Sierra leonean-born journalist Justice >Fonanah, now living in the US, and myself were assigned by Kenneth Best, >then editor-in-chief of the Daily Observer, to cover Amadou Samba's cement >factory row with Hatib Janneh of JIMPEX Company. > >During the peak of the controversy between these two business giants, we >had several interviews with Mr Samba, during which we found him to be >enterprising, patriotic, erudite and benevolent. We admired these qualities >in him and he also admired the fact that during all those interviews he >gave >us, we never misrepresented or misquoted him. > >It was therefore natural that we became friends. Mr Best himself also >admired and liked Mr Samba because of his (Samba's) business shrewdness. >This, in fact, would explain why Kenneth Best would not hesitate to sell >the >company to Mr samba. > >Having said this, however, it is also clear in my mind that I wouldn't be >doing justice to my conscience and spirit if I do not express a word of >caution, in the wake of the sale, regardless of my friendship with the new >buyer, Mr Samba. > >In my view, there is nothing wrong with Mr Best selling the Observer to Mr >Samba, if Samba has given him the assurances that the newspaper will >continue to maintain its editorial independence. > >And I know that, under normal circumstances, Mr Samba has what it takes, or >the business acumen, to turn the Observer Company around which, of late, >has >been having financial difficulties, and establish the Observer newspaper as >one of the best papers in Africa. > >But given Samba's closeness to the Jammeh government, I would be both naive >and novice to think or believe that the Observer will continue to maintain >its editorial independence under the new management. I, for one, would not >buy that theory. Yes, it was encouraging to hear Mr Samba reassure the >readers and the staff that the paper would continue to maintain its >editorial independence. > >But for me these are just wishes. The realities are certainly there!!! In >practical terms, I cannot see the Observer, henceforth, becoming too >critical of the government, because the hard truth is that Mr Samba also >has >business interests/links with the Jammeh government and, therefore, he has >to ensure that he remains in the good books of Jammeh, so that his >construction company will continue to receive contracts from the >government. > >Mr Samba , I bet, would not want the Observer newspaper to publish any >story >that would jeopardise his business relationship with the government, even >if >the story is/was in the public interest. > >In fact, given Samba's links to the the Jammeh regime, some are even >alleging that the government has actually bought the observer company, >using >Amadou as a front or a cover. Anyway, time will tell if this is true or >not. >But I'll be surprised if this was true, because I have always known Amadou >as a man of integrity and immense honesty. > >To be fair to Mr Samba, if it turns out that he is indeed the true owner of >the Observer, who would never interfere with the paper's editorial >independence, then he deserves commendation for investing in the media, >especially at this point in time. > >The militarisation of politics in Africa, today, has certainly jeopardised >the chances of a free press in the continent and, consequently, there is a >lack of interest in the media by African entrepreneurs in any investment in >the media. Investing in the media is considered a risky venture, which in >all cases, invites the wrath of governments. > >So Amadou Samba should be praised for his bold move if the Observer were to >continue to live up to the expectations of its readers. The last thing the >observer readers would want, I would have thought, is for the newspaper to >be transformed into medium that only exist to defend the status quo. > >The new management should never allow the Daily Observer to be an extension >of the executive. Rather, it should allow it to continue to report >alternative views, or operate as the Fourth Estate. > >The new management would have done a great disservice to the country, if >the >Observer newspaper was to be transformed into a medium whose sole function >was to prop up the government of the day. > >The paper must ensure, at all times, that whatever it publishes is >accurate, >balanced, fair, forthright and up to date, because it is in this way that a >people determine how much trust and confidence to place in a particular >media institution, be it a newspaper, radio or television. > >Accuracy, fairness, balance objectivity and being up to date are, >therefore, >the primary elements readers or listeners look for in a medium. Any medium >which has these elements will have the confidence of the people, but if >they >are not there, that medium can forget it, for it will soon lose its >patrons!!! > >Therefore, if the Daily observer wishes to maintain its readers, it must >continue to be in the vanguard of truth, justice and fair play, making sure >that whatever is in the public interest is reported. > >Finally, I must say that one sad truth my stay in the UK has confirmed for >me is that the media all over the world, is held in one way or the other, >in >some form of captivity. In Africa, this captivity can be through the hands >of corrupt and authoritarian regimes, while in the West, the captivity can >either be through the influence of advertisers, International Finance >capital, racism, or cultural prejudices. > >In the UK, there is, within the newspaper industry, an undeniable >concentration of ownership, and of the power and influence which that >bestows, in a few hands. The newspaper industry is dominated by powerful >figures such as Rupert Murdoch, Tiny Rowlands, Robert Maxwell and Viscount >Rothermere. > >This is almost certainly an important factor in the pronounced right-wing >skew of the political affiliations of the British papers with the Express, >Mail, The Star, The Daily Telegraph, Times and The Sun all espousing >right-wing positions, and only The Guardian (Liberal/Centrist) and the >Mirror (right-wing labour) reflecting centre or slightly left of centre >positions. > >Anyway, sorry for boring you to death with this piece, and I hope I have >not >offended anyone. > >Cheers and best wishes to all. > >Ebrima Ceesay, >Birmingham, UK. > >PS: Just to inform you that some time ago, my good sister, Ndey Jobarteh, >and Brother Saiks Samateh, both of whom are on the L, got married. And in >this regard, a wedding party is slated for this saturday night at the Hall >in Kilburn, London. Therefore, those members of the Gambia L living in the >UK are invited to grace the occasion. > > >______________________________________________________ >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------