The Online Media Association of The Gambia has issued a statement urging the government to withdraw its draft accreditation policy and broadcasting and online content regulations, which it says will usurp the mandate of the Gambia Press Union and the Media Council of The Gambia.

More in this press release.

The Edward Francis Small Center for Rights and Justice has issued a statement showing solidarity with a statement from former Gambia Press Union presidents warning that the government plans to control the media through a new policy and a regulation.

In their statement, EFSCRJ argues that the hard-won freedoms and democracy will be weakened by the government’s permission-journalism regime.

More in the statement.

Five former presidents of the Gambia Press Union have issued a warning on the government’s plans to introduce state-controlled registration and accreditation of journalists through the National Press Accreditation Policy and the Broadcasting and Online Content Regulations, 2025.

The former presidents argue that this will empower executive discretion and plunge the country back into the dark days of permission-based journalism.

More in the statement.

The Gambia Online Media Association (GOMA) has elected an Interim Committee (IC) with a one-year mandate to steer the affairs of the Association and engage various stakeholders, including the public, government, sister institutions, and partners.

More in the press release.

The Gambia Press Union (GPU) has launched three major media policy documents aimed at strengthening professionalism, ethics, and accountability in journalism, with its President, Ms Isatou Keita, urging journalists to strictly comply with the new frameworks to rebuild and safeguard public trust in the media.

More in the news report.

The Vice President of the Gambia Press Union (GPU), Sheriff Saidykhan, has cautioned journalists about the growing risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI), despite its significant potential to improve journalism. More in this news report.

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape institutions worldwide, including journalism, The Gambia Press Union (GPU) is taking proactive steps to guide its responsible use in the media. With support from International IDEA, the union has embarked on a review of its Cherno Jallow Code of Conduct for Journalists, aiming at setting ethical standards for AI usage, among emerging issues. More in the news report.

As climate change continues to threaten coastal communities in The Gambia, a new initiative is empowering journalists to spotlight stories of resilience and survival. This week, 25 reporters from across the country gathered in Kartong for a five-day training workshop organized by the West Africa Coastal Areas Resilience Investment Project (WACCA), in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) and the Gambia Press Union (GPU). The training aims to equip journalists with the tools to report accurately and ethically on environmental and disaster-related issues—bringing community voices to the forefront and countering misinformation that can cost lives. More in the report.

In 2023, The Gambia ranked 5th in Africa and 46th globally, positioned between the United States and South Korea. However, this year, the country has fallen to 11th place, marking a setback for the ambitious goal set by the new Information Minister to make The Gambia the top-ranked country in Africa for press freedom. Achieving this target will require strong political will and critical legal reforms to surpass Sierra Leone, Liberia, and other African nations. More on this in the full report.

The Government of The Gambia, through the Ministry of Information, Media, and Broadcasting Services, has announced plans to meet the Gambia Press Union (GPU) and local media practitioners to discuss the future of media subvention. More in the news report.

Freedom House Gambia Representative highlighted that Access to Information (ATI) is the disinfectant to public ills during the validation of the National Road Map for the Implementation of the ATI Act. More in the report.

Newly established Gambian online media, Askanwi has completed it's second two days in-house training on Budget Reporting, a day before the Finance Minister is set to table the 2025 Draft Budget in Parliament on 15th November 2024.

The ACHPR has noted that it would investigate claims by the Gambia Press Union that Press Freedom and Freedom of Expression are in decline because of the Government’s reluctance to repeal draconian media laws and acting on threats to utilize said laws to summon media personnel to court.

The Gambia Press Union (GPU) and allied media organisations and affiliates on Monday paid a courtesy call on President Adama Barrow to discuss key issues that affect press freedom.

His Excellency Adama Barrow on Monday afternoon received a joint delegation from the media fraternity, comprising the Gambia Press Union, the Media Council of The Gambia, the Newspaper Publishers Association, and the Women Journalists Association at the State House in Banjul.

The Gambia Press Union issued a statement condemning the Government’s lawsuits against the Voice Newspaper and the Alkamba Times grabbing headlines across the world in October 2024.

The Gambia Press Union issued a position paper identifying numerous recommendations on the CyberCrime Bill for improvement. Parliament is currently reviewing the Bill for adoption which in its current state will impact negatively on freedom of expression and press freedom and in The Gambia.

The Gambia Press Union issued a statement at the 81st Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, taking place in The Gambia on 22nd October 2024 urging the Commission to reign in on The Gambia Government to respect press freedom and implement media law reforms amongst others.

The Voice Newspaper Journalists have been involved in a legal tussle with President Adama Barrow over a story highlighting that Muhammed Jah of Q Group would be his successor for the 2026 Presidential Elections resulting in Police arresting and charging both the Editor and Journalist who wrote the story.

The Gambia Press Union issued a statement condemning President Adama Barrow's legal threats against the Voice Newspaper's reporter Momodou Justice Darboe and Editor Musa Sheriff resulting in their detention by Police.