The
newly-elected executive of the Sports Journalists Association of The Gambia
(SJAG) has continued its traditional tour of media houses, with the latest
visit to The Point Newspaper and Capital FM Radio.
The delegation, which comprised Assistant Secretary General Alieu Ceesay, Treasurer Namory Trawally, 2nd vice president Uthman Jeng, and executive member Momodou Bah had a fruitful discussion with The Point directorand SJAG Life President Pape Saine, and Capital FM senior management team.
The tour was meant among other things, to introduce the new executive, discuss association’s plans, as well as seek media chiefs’ blessing and advice in promoting sports journalism and the welfare of sports reporters.
At The Point newspaper, Pap Saine, who is also the life president of SJAG, said the meeting was not the first interaction he has had with the SJAG executive, while reaffirming his support to the executive.
As someone who has spent over four decades in sports journalism covering three World Cups, 16 African Cup of Nations, and Zone II among other international competitions, the veteran sports journalist stressed that one cannot be a successful and professional sports journalist without training.
He used the meeting to call for renewed unity, tolerance, and understanding among the sports journalists, adding that they must adhere to the ethics of the profession.
“All sports journalists must learn to understand the rules and regulations of all games. Sports Journalists should decentralize their coverage on sporting disciplines, particularly those that are dormant,” Mr Saine said.
He suggested to the new executive to maintain a cordial relationship with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and all sporting associations.
He also congratulated the executive on the recently organized training programme for 20 sports journalists from both the print and electronic media.“I am very happy and grateful for the honour and respect given to me as the SJAG life president,” he concluded.
Capital FM
The new executive also held similar meeting with the senior management of the Capital FM radio along Kairaba Avenue.
Operations manager and head of sports Babucar Njie, Head of news Jojo Ngum, Human Resources and IT Manager Christopher Tijan Smith, and Marketing manager Muhammed Faye all welcomed the initiative taken by the new executive to visit all media chiefs and media houses to familarise themselves with such institutions and personalities.
They spoke at length on the need to revisit the manner in which many sports journalists are going about the profession.
According to Babucarr Njie, Capital is hosting 4 sports programmes in a week where they dominantly focus on local sports. He called on other sports journalists to give much prominence to local sports.
Quite aware of the importance of capacity building, Njie encourages the new executive to organize more training for its members, while reaffirming Capital FM radio’s support to and collaboration with the association.
Speaking at both meetings, treasurer Namory Trawally, 2nd vice president Uthman Jeng, and executive member Momodou Bah all commended The Point Newspaper and Capital FM managements for the warm welcome accorded the new executive.
According to them, capacitiy building is high on the agenda of the association, a testimony of which was its first training programme concluded last weekend.
“We are now giving media houses the ownership of the association, hence media houses now have equal voting right. We need the collaboration of the media chiefs in order to realize our set goals,” Trawally said.
“We want to open a new page in the association and we want to see all media houses encourage their staffs to join the association,” added Uthman Jeng, 2nd vice president.
Executive member Momodou Bah calls on members to put aside their differences and join the association, which is the supreme body overseeing all sports journalists in the country.
