On Friday, President Barrow inaugurated the first ever privately owned television station in The Gambia. This marks an important step in the development of the media in The Gambia. The public now have the choice to view the Gambian television station of their choice.
Media pluralism is an important factor that facilitates diverse sources of information and the dissemination of divergent views and dissenting opinions. The constitution considers divergent views and dissenting opinions to be important and therefore makes it a requirement in section 208 that the state owned media should be publishing or broadcasting divergent views and dissenting opinions. It states: “All State owned newspapers, journals, radio and television shall afford fair opportunities and facilities for the presentation of divergent views and dissenting opinions.
Media pluralism is an important ingredient in a democracy and extending it to the television sector is a significant step in the right direction.
