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Fatou Camara – A Media and PR Mogul in the Making

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 05:46:18 GMT

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

The world has entered a new era of communications, with rapid developments in ICT and newer innovations in Marketing and Public Relations. One might wonder if the Gambia is poised to keep apace with this cutting-edge trend. YES, says Fatou Camara, a veteran journalist and TV star, whose professional clout in this area commands everyone who cares, to listen. Fatou’s authoritative ideas are no waste treasure; she has initiated and established a powerful Media and PR company, which is transforming fast into what could be Senegambia’s first ever “Media Empire”. Even local institutions and businesses with no corporate commitment to official publicity find it difficult to resist the enticing potency of services offered by I-Media, from TV and Radio advertisements, to documentaries, professional writing and editing, magazine and brochures production, printing as well as moderating official events.

In this rare and magnetic interview, Fatou speaks candidly about her penchant for competence and how she is getting the scoop.

POINT: Every height indeed begins somewhere. Can we go down to the genesis of your stint in publicity and PR?

FATOU: I assume most people know about my career in Journalism and Broadcasting, especially TV, of course after some training in the U.K.

Again, it is barely six months since I retired voluntarily as Protocol Assistant to the U.S Ambassador in Banjul, after three years in what I call “Diplomatic PR”, which also went with very useful training overseas. So with a blend of these backgrounds, you may not be surprised that a private venture into publicity and PR is my eventual undertaking.

POINT: You are relatively new in the industry, but I-Media is striding ahead with unprecedented success. Is it your personality or the effectiveness of your services that is making the difference?

FATOU: It is both. Becoming a media celebrity is something, but not enough to work your way through to success. Professionalism is the real benchmark. That is the only way we have been able to make a difference in so short time. We are not into business only to attract customers and make profit; we also have a deep-seated interest to set the pace for professional PR in the Gambia. That is why we sometimes alter customers’ ideas and advise them to go for something different, and at the end of the day, they come back to say they made more impact that they had initially expected.

POINT: Fatou is obviously the brand name of I-Media, but I’m sure there are others playing a part?

FATOU: Certainly. I am the CEO and effectively the think tank, providing the leadership, directing operations and managing the personnel. But we boast of a team of the best professionals from the Gambia and Senegal. Initially, this was the task I set for myself- to harness the best local potential available. In all the various services we offer, from advertising, printing, script writing and editing, to documentaries, magazines and brochures production, we work with highly trained and experienced specialists who are masters of the trade. This is why we can bid for contracts in even Senegal and win them.

POINT: Would one be right to consider the idea of publicity and PR a novelty in the Gambia?

FATOU: PR and publicity in any society could be as old as the society itself. What may constitute a novelty is the conventional methods employed in these areas. And far from being a necessity of market consumerism, publicity for example is a simple corollary of honest and decent competition. Yet in this time and age, no tangible endeavour, whether business or otherwise, can thrive without effective publicity or PR. That is how customers are naturally oriented and there is no other way round it.

POINT: But there are entities that shy away from publicity for either the cost or some other reason.

FATOU: It depends on why you are in business. If you are a backbencher contented with attaining limited business objectives, that’s Ok. But if you are a reputable organisation or company with serious corporate identity, you must project a vital image and responsibility, if you have any. That’s how you command public confidence. It’s like the “publish or perish” principle at the university.

POINT: Finally, where do we expect to see I-Media in the medium and long term?

FATOU: We are overwhelmed by the success we have been able to achieve initially. First, we enjoy a broad customer base, spanning Gambia and Senegal. Again, we work with a cohort of professionals with unrivalled expertise in their various areas.

Above all, our products and services are widely acclaimed by customers themselves to be the undisputed best. For the medium and long term, we hope to extend our services to training, where we can partner with tertiary institutions and the media in producing talents that will serve the country’s emerging communications and PR sector.

Author: Abba Gibba & Babucarr Senghore

Source: Picture: Fatou Camara (PR Mogul in the Making)

ZAMBIA: Refugees facing food shortages

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:48:29 GMT

Saturday, November 22, 2008

LUSAKA Thursday, November 06, 2008 (IRIN) - A funding shortfall is jeopardising food supplies to about 3,000 of the most vulnerable refugees living in two of Zambia's largest camps, a senior UN refugee agency (UNHCR) official has told IRIN. "We have received communications from WFP [World Food Programme] stating that from 2009 they will stop providing food to refugees at the Meheba and Mayukwayukwa refugee settlements. This is due to circumstances beyond their control: they don't have funding...

Source: http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=81333

Fame: Future Ambassadors of Movies And Entertainment in Africa to be Launched Soon

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:58:33 GMT

Friday, November 21, 2008

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Lexicon communications, in conjunction with The actors Guild of Nigeria, in partnership with Gomis promotions and Intouch Company has completed all logistical details to launch Fame Movie production on December 2nd2008 in The Gambia. The scheme is endorsed by The Actors Guild of Nigeria, Department of State for Culture and Tourism; Department of State for Basic and Higher Education and The Nigerian High Commission.

Speaking in an interview with Entertainment, Mr Moses Nwanze, project co-ordinator Fame Movie Production, said this idea is initiated to promote movies and entertainment in The Gambia. He added that Gambians love to watch Nigerian Movies. According to him, this project can gradually build an industry in The Gambia where it will generates revenue to create employment. He noted that it should be a national project. “That’s why we got support from the Department of Education to develop a culture of writing,” he said.

Mr Moses Nwanze explained thatthe project will also attach Gambians who are in the movie production end of the business.

“The reason why we launched the programme in The Gambia is because Film Africa is always in support of the development of movies in The Gambia,” he said.

Author: Njie Baldeh

GPU to host WAJA excellence awards

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 08:49:23 GMT

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

The first edition of the West African Journalist Association (WAJA) Excellence Awards, will be hosted by the Gambia Press Union in Banjul, on Thursday, October 16, 2008.

The WAJA Excellence Awards 2008 will honor the best three reports of practicing West African journalists on print media, radio and television in the areas of conflict prevention, peacekeeping and human rights at a cocktail reception at the Kairaba Beach Hotel, Banjul.

Shortlisted participants would take part in the WAJA organised sub-regional workshop on “the role of journalists in conflict prevention, peacekeeping and the promotion of human rights” from October 14-16, 2008. Prize winners will also receive funds.

The awards will be graced by the vice-president, Aja Dr Isatou Njie Saidy, who is expected to deliver the keynote address.

Secretaries of state, senior officials from the Department of State for Communications, Information and Information Technology, the executive of the West African Journalists Association, workshop participants, diplomats, senior Gambian journalists, legal persons, politicians and friends of the media are expected to grace the occasion.

The event is co-funded by the African Capacity Building Foundation, Trust Bank Ltd The Gambia, Gambega, Ecobank and the GPU.

Author: DO

Public finances beat projection... CBG Governor

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 12:02:25 GMT

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Bamba Saho, Governor of the Central Bank of the Gambia (CBG), has said that the public finances has performed better than projected in the first half of year 2007 and the domestic revenue has exceeded the target by D204 million owing to higher than the projected tax and non-tax revenue as total expenditure and net lending, on the other hand, it was below projection (ceiling) by about D0.5 billion.

Governor Saho made these remarks during a press briefing on Friday at the Central Bank conference hall in Banjul.

According to Governor Saho, the latest data recorded that the Gambian economy is projected to grow at a robust 7.0 percent underpinned by plentiful and well distributed rainfall which should increase agricultural production, expanding services sector, including banking, tourism and communications and the continuing boom in construction.

“Monetary Policy in 2007 is aimed to achieve the target of 5.0 percent by end of December 2007. Money supply grew by 17.2 percent in the year to end July 2007 compared to 16.3 percent a year earlier. Narrow money increased by 15.1 percent and quasi money by 19.4 percent compared to end December 2006, money supply grew by only 2.3 percent,” he said.

He added that, government’s fiscal policy stance continue to focus on supporting the disinflationary process and sustaining economic growth. He stated that the current account deficit including official transfers is expected to narrow to D828.4 million (US $29.3 million) compared to D1.3 billion in 2006 premised on strong exports, including re-exports, increased travel and communication income and decline in external interest payments.

The capital and financial account balance, he noted, is projected to decline to a surplus of D1.69 billion in 2007 from D2.04 billion in 2006 reflecting decreased in external borrowing.

He also revealed that, on August 30, 2007 executive board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the first review of The Gambia’s economic performance under the programme supported by a three year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRFG) arrangement.

He then added that the IMF executive board then commended The Gambia for the strong performance under the PRGF and for making good progress in attaining macro-economic stability and higher economic growth.

Author: Written by Dagain Nyan

Source: The Daily Observer Newspaper

Economic Growth Forecast to Hit 7.0%

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 06:57:30 GMT

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Latest data released by the monetary policy committee of the Central Bank of The Gambia indicate that the country continues to show glimpses of reaping more from agricultural production and other services as its economy is projected to grow at a robust 7.0 percent.

The percentage growth in the country’s economy, according to the acting Governor of the Central Bank, Mr. Bamba Saho, is underpinned by plentiful and well distributed rainfall which is expected to increase agricultural production, expand the services sector including banking, tourism and communications, as well as the continuing boom in the construction industry. Mr. Saho was making a statement at a press briefing at the Central Bank last week.

The statement also showed that money supply grew by 17.2 percent in the year to end July 2007, compared to 16.3 percent a year earlier. Narrow money increased by 15.1 percent and quasi money by 19.4 percent while compared to end December 2006, money supply grew only by 2.3 percent.

“Reserve money, the bank’s operating target, grew by 6.6 percent, lower than 16.2 percent a year earlier. Relative to end December 2006, reserve money growth was negative 10.5 percent,” the statement revealed.

With this, according to Mr. Saho, expectations are that money supply and reserve money would grow below the end December targets of 13.3 percent and 10.6 respectively while government’s fiscal policy stance continues to focus on supporting the disinflation process and sustaining economic growth.

The Public finances performed better than projected in the first half of 2007 with domestic revenue exceeding the target by D204.0 million owing to higher than projected tax and non-tax revenue.

However, total expenditure and net lending, on the other hand, was below projection by about D0.5 million while the overall fiscal balance recorded a surplus of D415.3 million compared to the projected deficit of D96.7 million.

Between end- December 2006 and end-July 2007, the Central Bank statement revealed, the Dalasi appreciated by 9.7 percent, 3.8 percent, 2.2 percent and 4.9 percent against the US dollar, Pound Sterling, Euro and CFA Franc respectively.

The developments showed that the strengthening of the Dalasi reflected improved marco-economic fundamentals including robust output growth, increased foreign currency inflows from foreign direct investment, private remittances, re-exports, travel receipts and cashew exports as well as confidence in the Gambian economy and healthy reserves.

Author: By Baboucarr Senghore

Source: The Point