Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Gabon actu
Published on 2024-03-13 16:43:05
It is a rather surreal and unbelievable scene, experienced by viewers of Gabon 1ère and broadcast repeatedly throughout the past weekend.
The Minister of Communication and Media gave a journalism lecture to professionals in the field of information and communication – including the Director General of Gabon 1ère – whose track record is clear and indisputable. This high-ranking government official was publicly attacked and subjected to public outrage for doing his job: journalism.
The crime of lese-majeste accused by Laurence Ndong against our colleagues is for dedicating large segments of the 8:00 pm news to the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), the former single party that ruled Gabon for 55 years before its fall following the coup on August 30th.
This much-criticized party made headlines last weekend. Through a carefully orchestrated tactic, its leaders managed a comeback as in the good old days. Gabon 1ère and its DG, Helmut Motchinga Boulignui, featured three pieces on this PDG outing, marked by the removal of Ali Bongo Ondimba as party leader, founded by his father Omar Bongo Ondimba on March 12, 1968, and even the expulsion of Patience Dabany, Omar Bongo’s former wife.
In the eyes of the former opposition member, now in charge of the public broadcasting space, the journalists at Gabon 1ère would have failed in their professional and ethical duty.
This is completely untrue, as the main focus of the news – especially political news – during that weekend was on the “Louis” district, the PDG’s headquarters, where silence and lethargy were starting to raise questions about a political party that had been synonymous with the state for 56 years.
Basic journalism techniques dictate that this news should have been highlighted and featured prominently. Gabon 1ère could not ignore this news, which was also on the front pages of press and media outlets in the French-speaking world, including RFI, France 24, and TV5. These media outlets were all over it.
Read the original article(French) on Gabon Actu
