The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia
March 29, 2019

A month or two ago, I was awakened to reports of a massive resignation of staff from The Inquirer newspaper. According to FrontPage Africa, at least five staff of The Inquirer threw in the towel in a bid to form The Independent Inquirer which is “reportedly government-backed.”

The paper went on to quote an “impeccable source” who informed it that “it is part of a plan for the setting up of alternative media with similar names to existing media houses deemed critical of the government.”

This was further bandied and expanded on by Atty. Phillip Wesseh, Publisher of The Inquirer, when he appeared as a guest on the popular talk show 50-50 alongside Phillibert Browne, Publisher of The Hot Pepper and was hosted by T. Max Jlateh. Atty. Wesseh hinted that Finance Minister Tweah is behind the moves to sabotage his paper. So much more than it even claimed the attention of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) based in New York. The group issued a stinging press release against the Weah led government.

From an outsider’s perspective and considering the ongoing spat between the government and the media, it would seem or appear that to some extent, there is a level of truism in Atty Wesseh’s claims. But, is that so?

The Liberian media has been faced with repeated and chronic underdevelopment since the ushering of a free but sometimes intimidated press reign since the ascendancy of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2006 as President of Liberia.  Though Sirleaf has passed the baton to President Weah, her legacy of an un-intimidated and free press is swirling.

During this time and recognizing the capacity needs of the media, there was an upsurge of support to the Liberian media by many INGOs in order to boost morale and build capacity. It was a fact that most journalists could not construct a fitting sentence; much less comprehend what there were writing about.

In this regard, Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) based in Canada partnered with the Daily Observer, FrontPage Africa, New Democrat, Inquirer, and Truth FM to train reporters in Human Rights reporting. New Narratives partnered with FrontPage Africa and other media outlets to train reporters on how to report on various fields, ranging from justice, extractive industry, human rights, etc. It is from these trainings which saw Mae Azango, Wade Williams (who currently lives in America), Clara Mallah, Bettie Johnson-Mbayo and others scooping many an award from across the world.

While some of these partnerships have helped lifted the media to some extent, others amounted to naught but failure. The IREX pet project is a case in point. Headed by Bill Burke, it soon folded up following the miscarriage of funds to support media institutions which was only done through many countless but useless workshops (which yielded no impact) and not hands-on training.

This caused the publisher of FrontPage Africa, Rodney D. Sieh, not to commit his paper as he believed that Liberian media has surpassed workshop stage and needed, tools, hands-on training and the pairing of local journalists to their foreign counterparts. However, for reasons which are still being dug into, the Liberia Women Democracy Radio in Congo Town is said to be the only media institution which benefited from the IREX program monetarily. Learning from the failures of IREX, its successor, Internews, is treading carefully not to befall the fate of its predecessor.

As the capacity of Liberian journalists improved, so too did the income of media houses; many publishers and owners could now afford to build big homes and buy big SUVs and have weddings one could only imagine while watching EL News. However, the growth in the revenues of media houses became akin to what Liberia experienced in the 1960s when its growth rate was on par with Japan, but nothing could be shown for such high growth rates.

Many journalists received paltry incomes from their employers. Compromise became the order of the day as many stories were. “Kato” became the surname of many journalists. At the Inquirer newspaper where over most of its staff resigned, it ranked amongst the lowest on the salary scale for staff of newspapers, though it’s been in the business for nearly three decades.

Some reporters were making as low as $40 USD. Consider it a pittance, as you would, but it wasn’t forthcoming for months on end. One can certainly deduce by whatever reasoning that no one would wish to be working under such slavish conditions and yet no compensation and when it does come, it’s at the discretion of the boss. Meanwhile, Atty. Wisseh’s bread is buttered uninterruptedly.

Has anyone wondered WHY Philibert Browne of the Hot Pepper newspaper has only one reporter and editor, Jah Johnson? Mr. Browne drives around the city in a fleet of expensive Chevrolet Suburban SUVs. He regularly travels to London for medical treatment.

The New Democrat newspaper finds itself in similar situation. Its current proprietress, Mrs. Rachel Nurse-Kamara, has also been tightfisted to pay her employees. This is a situation which started brewing since the passing of husband, Tom Kamara. The paper has taken a nosedive. The first reporter to take an exit was Boima J.V. Boima, currently at LBS as deputy director general. A. Abbas Dulleh, Leroy Nyan, Abdullah Dukuly and others have followed. No matter how hard Festus Poquie thinks he can be the flame burning, he too would soon become weary and take a bow.

At the Daily Observer newspaper, the situation is depressing. Its staff has not taken a salary for eight months. While this has been undergoing, the Managing Director of the corporation which owned the newspaper, Bai Best, married in a lavish celebrity styled wedding ceremony at the ranch of John T. Richardson in Virginia. Some estimates have put the cost of the wedding at over US$10,000—money which could have been used to pay its staff. One of its editors, Omari Jackson, has resigned and returned to the States. Layout editor and graphic designer, Tete Bropleh has also left. How long can John H.T. Stewart, C.Y. Kwanue, William Harmon, Gloria Tamba, Joaquin Sendolo and others continue to hold on? That is still a thought looming in infancy stage.

Sky FM of T. Max Jlateh is no different. Many of its reporters from the news department, including Julius Konton who’s now with KMTV left due to low and unstable wages. However, the owners drive luxurious Mitsubishi SUVs and remain impervious to the welfare of their employees.  

The News newspaper, owned by the current Minister of Commerce and former Vice President of the University of Liberia, Prof. Wilson Tarpeh, Necus Andrews, Fahngohn and others are always at the mercy of the boss for their wages. Others like George Bardue Victor the layout editor who cannot hold on any longer have jumped ship.

Mohammed Kanneh’s Heritage newspaper is also in the rank of the Inquirer on salary scale. The paper cannot boast of having five reporters in its newsroom. Emmanuel Wade Conway, Edward Bortue and haggard looking Calvin are the only newsroom staff in addition to the business department. Meanwhile, Kamara flourishes, much to the detriment of his staff.

At the Capitol Times Radio and newspaper, Chris Wolloh is struggling to pay his employees. Edward Blamo, Molly Dukuly, and others have left. The paper is practically closed. The radio is no longer the way it once was. The audience base has dwindled and many of its on-air announcers have left, including Grace Weah, also known as the “Master Queen.” Nekerwon Gweh is struggling to fill the shoes of Boakai Fofanah on the Capitol Breakfast Club.

President Weah’s Kings FM employees recently staged a protest over unpaid salaries. The protest was a big display on social media. The situation is also not unique to the private media. Over the years, the Liberia Broadcasting System has seen its budget slashed as well. Prior to her appointment as deputy director general, Tetee Gebro sought and gained employment with UNMIL radio.

Many journalists, realizing this, have moved unto lucrative PR positions in the government and private sector. D. Kahienneh Singbe is currently the manager of PR at Liberia Revenue Authority, Samwar Fallah is PR manager for Sime Darby; David Kolleh and Boimah J.V. Boimah, Boakai Fofanah, work in the government’s PR machinery; Danesius Marteh is communications officer for the LFA; Martina Brooks has been off to Sudan working with the UN Volunteers; Patrick Honnah left to join Sirleaf’s government and is now at Firestone following failed attempts to get a license from the government to open his radio station; Smith Toby was recruited from his stimulating talk-show on OK FM to be deputy presidential press secretary; Augustine Hammelburg has been sent to Berlin as press attaché at the Liberian Embassy; Nat Nyuan Bayjay is in Abuja as press attaché at the Embassy of Liberia.

However, Prof. Prue Clarke, Executive Director of New Narratives and director of international reporting at the City University of New York (CUNY) blames the exodus of seasoned Liberian journalists to lucrative PR jobs to the aid from western donors. In an article titled, How Foreign Aid Fuels African Media Payola Problem, she argued “development agencies fork out vast sums to sway African journalists.”

Only one media institution is unblemished from this gross violation of human, labor and people rights. FrontPage Africa, since its presence on the scene in November 2009, the paper has remained consistent in the payment and upping of salaries of its employees. It is said that no employee of FPA misses payday. Possibly, it could be the underlying reason for the departure of Alaskai Moore Johnson from Daily Observer to FPA.  Why is that not so of other media institutions?

In this entire situation, the Press Union of Liberia continues to be silent on the welfare of its members. One would think that they would raise loud their voices as they do when they want to ingratiate themselves with the government or whenever there is an alleged attack on a media institution.

This is indeed an attack on the media, and it is NOT from the government but the media itself. In these trying and precarious economic times, journalists have families whose mouths have to be fed.  Media owners must realize this instead of scapegoating and trying to blame “loose lip sinks ship” loud mouth and fast-talking Minister of Finance, Samuel Tweah for the “weaponization” of the media.

No matter these stacked odds, journalists have been doing their utmost best in news coverage and the analysis of events as they unfold. Will their bosses commend these efforts with the payment of due wages?