Monsieur L'ambassadeur Oko D,
It is a pleasure to see you take the lead in addressing this very
important matter, and I concur with your clinical observations. For years
I have myself discussed with friends the complete absence of a cultural
journal worthy of the name in Gambia; a magazine where "Gambian" ideas
are presented, analysed and embraced or debunked. Gambian newspapers are
doing a really good job in providing columns for debate, but it is easy
to see that there are obvious shortcomings, especially because there is
simply no continuous and rigorous representation of contemporary Gambian
thought on all aspects of Gambian existence. Here there is need indeed of
debating the very existence of a potentially powerful medium such as GRTS
as a public service institution. What should we see on Gambian TV, who
should control it, how should it be financed? , etc. What becomes of the
intellectual life of Gambian graduates and post-graduates in the arts and
social sciences once they return home? The university of the Gambia may
provide a conduit for the intellectual energies of a few, but it seems to
me that the vast majority withers away slowly for lack of social and
cultural stimulants...or perhaps many disappear into that corruptive
current of survival, cruising the bars by night fall and becoming
gradually soaked and spongy in the "attaya vous" circuit. In fact where
do all Gambian graduates disappear into nowadays? Or is it perhaps that I
am myslef lost in the diaspora, posing irrelevant questions to
compatriots who are by all standards fitting their straw to the stack?
Perhaps it is time we create (a) representational voice(s) of our own
because the current political order is not going to provide one for us.
But looking at it seriously, the Gambian state itself is withering away,
its squeaky edifice only held together by brute force, both of economics
and physical coercion.
I just watched a video on Jaliba Kuyateh and the Kumareh Band launching
their tenth album. Part of the cream of Gambia's political and business
elite were all there with all the "ajratou" and "diriangkeh" worthy of
their salt pinning Jaliba's shirt with half the nation's GDP in
banknotes. Someone said that it was after that extraordinary extravaganza
that Operation No Compromise was launched, and of course Baba Jobe was
there. When the Gambian world looks like it does now, you cannot help
asking what we really are after watching that show.
Many, many thanks Brother Oko.
Sidibeh.
-----Original Message-----
From: Oko Drammeh <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Sun, 23 May 2004 17:08:57 +0200
Subject: GRTS-Gather rubbish toghtether service/ The World of TV
> The world of Television
>
> Oko Drammeh
>
> THE GENIE BOX
> The Little screen represent an astonishing new challange to the
> attention of The Gambia. Notion about its power spread rapidly, rooted
> in case histories. a little known politician, after few appearances on
> the small screen can be a potiential presidental candinate and a little
> known-lipstick almost over night becomes a national leader in its
> field,
> increasing its sale by several thousand percent through television
> commercials. Television is a business. It is a profitable enterprise.
>
> THE TV PERSONALITIES
> What unguessd powers lay in the small screen.? Television cost money
> and
> it cost a lot to be screened. You need to generate income to keep the
> running of the station and to keep quality in place. The GRTS do not
> have the financial angels to turn the station into a money machine.You
> do not need ANOTHER chartered accountant to balance the books. It is
> good to mention that Tombong Saidy was doing well with his team at The
> GRTS including Fatou Jobe, Ebou Waggeh , Jainaba Nyang, Bora,
> Mboge,Lamin Manga and Nenneh Maccdold. This was a dreamteam. Then the
> team disintergrated. Bora Mboge has a great potential in journalistic
> television. I would make him a Minister of Radio and Television and put
> Tombong Saidy as a director. This will work. When GRTS started they had
> syndicated programmes and they were on course to reuniting with thr RTS
> of Senegal. Also GRTS had a programme patten.
> Now they run out of steam because the equipments are old and they need
> replacement but there is no money.They did not make money There is not
> one TV programme from GRTS that people want to buy on video or a
> soundtrack fit for CD machandiseing. A TV personality with no social
> background cannot send a unique message to the community. What can he
> teach us if you are a Munku and you don't know the past.
>
>
> RADIO GAMBIA & RADIO SENEGAL COMBINATION
> When I was growing up in Banjul I used to travell for miles to see a
> drama or a ballet group. I would follow a truck load of arists parading
> around banjul and I would jump fences at UAC tennis lawn just to see a
> band,wrestling contest and cultural events. I used to stay late every
> week (Wednesdays ,Thursdays and sundays) for party political rallies
> and
> broadcast.There was Theater, Drama, Politics, documentary profiles, I
> used to travel up country with Ifangbondi band up country vistiring
> villages and towns celebrating " TERET " The harvest festivals. There
> was the TARA craft show which was manifested in Fanals and lanterns,
> the
> was alot that we have in the Gambia that was of use to Senegal and we
> hugged each other for research on our authentic cultures, before
> colonialisation was brought to light and shared in the newsmedia. There
> was essence and there were festivities. It was through these programmes
> that we come to know Dodou Jobe,Cho cho Mbel, Assan Njie, Njuga Jenj
> and
> Abdoulie Mboob.The Gambia had super talents like,Pa Dacosta, Cham Joof,
> Jogomai Ceesay, Mbye Chow, Santi, Fatou Joof (Jama Neh), Cheke
> Gi-ndang,
> (Mouth organ),
>
>
> THE CONTENT OF PROGRAMMES
> There were youth seminars at the British council and symposiumss at The
> Gambia High School and St. Augustinines and at Amitage I remembered
> meeting Dr. Florence Mahoney in one of these symposiums also Late Ebou
> Dibbas, Lenrie Peters, . The was enough to film and to coordinate and
> put together for Radio Gambia. There was more to do then The Musical
> shows at the Odeon Cenema and at Crab Island school gave Abdou Aziz
> Ceesay, Cham Joof, Sakou Beyai Mbemba Tamboudou ,Baboucar Gaye, Martcel
> Thomasi,Joe Gabbidon,Joy Coker, Ebrima Cole and mamy many more artists
> of The art of communication were gathered at Radio Gambia. We were the
> envy of the subregion. Then Senegal joined us in joint programming and
> together we started the PENCHUM-SENEGAMBIA.Every Gambia and every
> Senegalese khew what was going on and everyone was clued to their radio
> set. It was art, it was entertainment,it was information and education.
> Television came and I expected this gear to swing to the next level but
> their is still no direction.
>
> NO SPECIAL EVENTS TO BROADCAST
> The Interviews , documentaries and talkshows and actualities are done
> by
> Radio Gambia more and better than GRTS. It cost Radio Gambia little or
> no money to put together a programme. The coming together of Radio and
> and GRTS should be profitable and the marchanding opportunities are
> vast. They can have a music catalogue based on tne past recordings of
> great icons like "Gindang, Cheke, Abdoulie Samba, Marie Samuel Njie,
> Gelewarr ,Magadan, Lovers, Super Eagles, . The intellectual ingredient
> on debates and scientific inovation programming is uninstitutional. We
> do not have platforms for media related events. We also do not adequate
> Sporting Events,Children ProgrammeBusiness Potfolio Talent contracts,
> speculative writing, submissio of script for teleplay, review pannels,
> right to view films, rehersal attendance, income from
> subsidaries,collaboration,
>
> GAMBIA NEEDS AN ART,CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT SCENE
> On the front page of The Daily Observer there is no colum for Arts,
> Music or Culture. Also on All Africa .com, there is no colum on Culture
> and entertainment. The biggest asset in Africa is culture,how come we
> still cannot recover from the destruction of African Civilsation and
> address our cultural agwenda.
> If we have an art scence there will be enough to record and to
> broadcast. At the moment it cost free to film and broadcast
> politicians.
> But it will cost you D10.000 dalasis just to film James Island for a 5
> munites show, you need to rent a boat, hire camera men, buy films,
> playbackground music, talent, a presenter,editing and narrationetc.
> This
> is what you may need for a 5 munites show. Then what do you do with the
> tapes. Who will buy them afterwards or who will need then. You have to
> film in mind as well that the film will be of interest to the
> international media world. Now,if that you are a director and you never
> travelled. How can you judge the impact of your international
> networking
> and syndiction of your programmes with other TV station like South
> Africa.the Carribean, Ghana and The PBS stations.You need a foresight
> for this.The cultural calenda of the Gambia should feed the TV and
> Radio
> stations in The Gambia for pulic awareness in Science, sports Arts and
> literature.
>
> TV WITH ESSENCE
> Without a doubt, other generations will render great service to our
> country, but what can one affirm, is that the present Gambian civil
> servant ,that of the
> New- Gambia, is henceforth written in the history of the continent,
> like the generation which will have the merit of putting definately an
> end to the irresponsibility of our peoples and to commit them in the
> way
> of dignity and of their integration to the unerversal society.
>
> " T.V. can be Terrible -Vision, if you have no vision".
>
> Oko Drammeh
> Soto Koto Media Group
>
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