By Arret Jatta
Press freedom in The Gambia has improved significantly since 2017, but journalists and media stakeholders say the gains are being undermined by low pay, legal uncertainty, harassment and persistent barriers to accessing public information.
Speaking in interviews to mark World Press Freedom Day, media practitioners and advocates acknowledged progress in the overall media environment but warned that structural and institutional challenges continue to weaken the sector.
Madi Jobarteh, executive director of the Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice, said the country’s media space has become “more free and safer” compared to the past, with improvements reflected in global press freedom rankings.
However, he cautioned that several “Draconian laws” remain in force, including provisions under the Criminal Offences Act relating to false publication. He said despite court rulings recommending reforms, key legal provisions remain unchanged, creating uncertainty for journalists.
Jobarteh also raised concern over what he described as increasing intimidation of journalists, including verbal attacks from political actors and lawsuits filed by public officials. He further pointed to police brutality and arbitrary arrests in some cases, warning that such actions threaten media independence.
He added that economic pressures are also affecting media freedom, citing selective allocation of government advertising and contracts to certain media houses, a practice he said undermines fair competition in the industry.
Reporters on the ground painted a similar picture, particularly on working conditions and access to information.
Alieu Ceesay of The Alkamba Times, said journalists continue to struggle with accessing public information, especially from government institutions. He said repeated requests are often ignored or delayed, making it difficult to produce timely and accurate reports.
He also said journalism in The Gambia is no longer financially sustainable for many practitioners as some reporters are paid salaries as low as D3,000.
“The profession is driven more by passion than income,” he said, adding that financial constraints often force journalists to abandon important stories.
Landing Ceesay of The Point also highlighted widespread disregard for the Access to Information law. He warned that several investigative stories remain incomplete due to lack of responses from institutions.
Concerns were also raised over proposed media regulations currently under discussion. Yankuba Jallow of Foroyaa said the proposed framework would further restrict press freedom and should be withdrawn.
Meanwhile, media stakeholders also called for urgent reforms in the industry’s economic structure, including better salaries, collective bargaining agreements, and possible government support or media subventions to strengthen sustainability.
Modou Joof, secretary general of the Gambia Press Union, said while press freedom rankings show improvement, journalists still face intimidation, restrictive laws and lack of accountability for attacks against them.
He stressed the need for better remuneration and working conditions, warning that poor pay weakens the independence and effectiveness of journalists.
Despite improvements in media diversity and rankings, journalists say the sector remains fragile, with long-standing legal, economic and institutional challenges still shaping the realities of news reporting in The Gambia.
