By MUHAMMED S. BAH
Abdou MK Touray has been confirmed as the New Director General of the State Broadcaster, Gambia Radio and Television Services, GRTS. The New director replaces Ebrima Sillah, who was recently appointed as Minster of Information and Communication Infrastructure.
Abdou is said to be a seasoned TV executive for many years. Until his appointment, he was deputy director for programs at GRTS.
Touray said he received his appointment letter from the PMO on Tuesday morning, as the Director General of the State broadcaster.
New DG Touray, express gratitude for the trust bestowed upon him and his appointment adding that it’s a big challenge he said he is ready to fulfil. On the promotion if dissenting and divergent views, Touray further stated that he will continue to promote more divergent views and create platforms for the citizenry in all categories.
Touray said with the new dispensation, the GRTS will continue to educate the masses on the National Development Plan and Government policies that matters to the public.
“We also want to expand the transmission of the State Broadcaster whereby GRTS will have more Channels such as GRTS 1, 2 and 3 and for people to be able to watch various programs such as politics, sport among others,” he underscored. Touray said he would like to widen the scope of broadcast through other digital media by developing various applications, to meet a wider audience.
New DG Touray said they will work to separate programming, production and transmission, for more efficiency and effectiveness; that GRTS is working hard to ensure that they are financially independent.
A brief background of the synopsis of New director General shows that he started with the Gambia Filming Industry in 1993, after completing high School at St Augustines until 1995, when the new Tv Station was established and was among the first staff to run the station.
Touray studied a three year course on professional programming and directing in Ghana, and received other trainings in various countries such as Japan, Kenya and France among others.
He rose through the ranks until 2006, when he was appointed as Program Manager, and was later appointed as Deputy Director General of Programs but was dismissed in 2015, by the former regime of Yaya Jammeh. He was re-appointed as Deputy Director General in 2017, until his new appointment as Director General.
