Supporting diversity in the Guyana State media

IN my studies, under the previous government, there was a complete lack of diversity in the state media. People of Indian, African, Amerindian and other background were marginalised in state media coverage as well as in employment and promotion. Also, reporting and commentaries tended to overwhelmingly favour one side when dealing with political and social issues. Concerns about coverage were made. The new administration must move to correct ethnic imbalance in the composition of the board, in recruitment of managers, directors, columnists, reporters, et al., and in reporting. There must be diversity and fair representation of all groups.

My studies showed that between 1993 and 2015, there was ethnic diversity representing at state media. After May 2015, almost all columnists, anchors, photographers and reporters were of one ethnicity. Indians and Amerindians were ‘peripheralised’ at state units. The services of the Dean of Caribbean Journalists, Rickey Singh, were terminated; others who were in management and held executive posts were fired for wanting to be non-political. The media reported on the effort to terminate Moshamie Ramotar who never delved in politics or had any political inclination and who performed professionally in her job. I recall the respected Ruel Johnson resigning from Chronicle’s board on principles over the effort to terminate Moshamie and to keep Sherrod Duncan who was embroiled in financial mismanagement.

The regime replaced professional managers, objective reporters, editor, director, adviser, consultant, and columnists with ideologues such as Joan Cambridge, Ronald Austin Jr., Lincoln Lewis, Nigel Williams, David Hinds, Sherrod Duncan, Barrington Braithwaite, Akola Thompson (now with SN), Rawle Lucas, among many others. I don’t remember if Karen Cummings and Mark Benschop (now on internet radio) were also in state media. There was no serious effort at ethnic balance or diversity or to recruit Amerindians who are underrepresented in every sector. There were no appointments of Chinese and Portuguese. Barrington Braithwaite (of ACDA) got a column. A request for a balance from the IAC (Neaz Subhan) was declined. Scholars like Dr. Baytoram Ramharack and Ryhaan Shah were not offered a column.
Cries demanding diversity and inclusiveness in State media fell on deaf ears. I brought it to the attention of Moses Nagamootoo but there was no redress. I wrote several responses to columns and even penned reports on religious and cultural events among Indo-Guyanese in New York; none was published. The private media carried several reports on events pertaining to Indians and Amerindians. A press release on conference on indentureship in March 2017 was also not carried although it appeared in other papers. Such behaviour at the State media ought to have been condemned. At least the then Editor-in- Chief, Nigel Williams, should have given some semblance of equity to other groups and political parties.

The lack of media diversity under APNU+AFC is reminiscent of lack of diversity in American media which I fought against. Black Americans and other minorities were underrepresented in the private and state media. There was rampant discrimination against Blacks, Indians, Asians, and others in the media even in the college I attended in Harlem. When I was a student at City College of NY (late 1970s and 1980s), I fought for greater representation of minorities in various positions and programmes in the media in America and on campus.

An organisation called SAME (Students for Arts & Media Exchange) was launched at CCNY, training youngsters of diverse backgrounds in media and in speaking out against discrimination in American media. Also, CCNY had a licensed community radio and TV station that allowed students to obtain experience in broadcasting. (Virtually all campuses had a radio station). It was through the effort of Indo-Caribbean involvement in student government in 1978 and thereafter at CCNY that organisations got block time to host ethnic-related programmes on the college’s media. I hosted the first ever Indian-related musical programme. The student government instructed the radio station to grant air time to student clubs. Black American students opposed allotment of time to immigrant groups including for Caribbean Blacks, Africans, and Hispanics.

But the student government controlled its purse and influenced allotment of media programmes to student organisations. Blacks and Hispanics took advantage of college training and practicum experience on radio and TV. Few Indians, Asians, and Arabs were interested in journalism. The effort of Guyanese, Trinis, and Caribbean nationals in student government and the struggle of others, speaking out against marginalisation of minorities (Africans, Indians, Hispanics), contributed to ethnic diversity in CCNY and American media today. Steps have been taken by ‘Whites’ to provide equitable diversity in the American media. The same kind of measures ought to be undertaken in Guyana to bring about diversity.

The imbalance of the last five years in Guyana State media must be corrected to reflect our rainbow nation. Also, there must be fair coverage. The media is very critical in constricting the life chances of young people. Youngsters should be encouraged to pursue a career in media, and the State must provide training to them. And there must also be mentorship for advancement opportunities.

Yours truly,
Dr Vishnu Bisram