Newspapers in Liberia

 

Freedom of the press has definitely been achieved in Liberia. At least the city of Monrovia has around seven newspapers, which are sold on the street every day. A good place to pick up one of them is on the way into the city at the go-slow area in front of the check point of the Gabriel Tucker Bridge. Strangely I have never been able to buy a paper when moving in the opposite direction. One of Monrovia’s mysteries which I still have to solve.  

Being Monrovia, the papers are a little bit different than the one I am used to from the US or Europe. One striking difference is that each costs the same, twenty Liberian Dollar (LD) which is roughly 30 US Cents. Not much by western standards, but a lot when you consider that 35 LD buy you a local breakfast of yam, plantain and fish balls.

I am told that the price of newspapers is fixed by the government. The price is not the only thing they have in common. Compared to Newspapers in other countries these are extremely thin, consisting only of a few pages.

With the exemption of one, all are in black and white. Printing and lay-out is of low quality, as is the reproduction of photos. Low-resolution photos are often grossly enlarged to fill space, and the result resembles a painting from the seventies, an opaque composition in black and white.

A sizeable part of their pages is taken up by job ads from the various UN agencies and NGOs that thrive in Liberia. Finally all papers seem to have entered a competition to confuse the reader by composing sentences long on verbosity but short on logic.
Consider this fine example from the editorial of the “Liberia Journal” of the 23^rd January, on page three, dealing with the Johnson- Sirleaf Administration reaching mid-term:

” Quizzical it may become should we hail the leadership on the observance of the two years in office, therefore, in view of our nonpartisan posture as a professional institution, but as authentic citizens of the Republic of Liberia whose practices are bordered on conscientious journalism, it becomes imperative that we do so since we hail when the good of society is preserved and condemn that which is willfully trespassed.”

Still there are visible differences between the existing newspapers. Some are worth their 20 LD, while others should only be purchased when there is no toilet paper in the country.  

So, on the 23^rd of January I bought a total of five of the available papers. Here are my entirely subjective remarks:

- Daily Observer
On this day the “Daily Observer” wins the price for total volume. A whooping 14 pages, nicely distributed on seven double sided printed sheets. The ad section uses up 4 pages, and sports another one. That reduces the “Daily Observer” to 9 pages for content.
Verdict: Not too bad.
Thanks to small print, certainly the most information for the money. The majority of articles appear to actually have been written instead of copied, which puts the “Daily Observer” in a class of its own. The one page business section has a section called “Business Briefs” listing commodity prices in different towns (Ganta on the 23^rd) which is valuable information for small businesses and traders.

- The Analyst
Claiming on the first page to be “Liberia’s Most Analytical Newspaper”, this publication consists of six double printed sheets of paper. This gives it a total of 12 printed pages.
3.5 are taken up by job ads One pages is wasted on sports, which leaves 8.5 pages for content.
Verdict: Not too bad either.
Certainly the best first page lay-out. Has a section of World News. One distinguishing feature is the daily “Memo to the President”, a open letter written to President Ellen Johnson – Sirleaf, which gives a good indication of the public mood and interests.

 - The News
In the competition of thin newspapers “The News” easily wins the price for the thinnest.
A total of 8 pages fitted perfectly on four double side printed papers. Ads take up 4.5 pages allowing a measly 3.5 for content.
Verdict: Pretty bad.
It also wins the price for the most chaotic lay-out, where following one article requires to go from page 8 to page 3 to page 6. Nearly as confusing as local politics. Senseless quotations inserted on front and back page.

- Liberian Journal
A close rival to The News, the “Liberia Journal” devotes 3.5 of its total 8 pages to ads, and one to a combination of sports and crossword puzzle.
Verdict: Also pretty bad
Quality of photos is terrible. And the editorial qualities have been mentioned above.

- The Informer
Short of “Deep Throat” this must be the best name a paper could ever come up with. It suggests that this newspaper has insider knowledge of all those shady deals going on in Liberia and is giving them out to the public. Unfortunately reality is much less glamorous. Eight shabby pages, of which 5.5 are left after deductions for sports and ads. “The Informer” has definite problems of filling all that wide open space. How else could it be explained that the editorial is printed in letters double as big as the other papers and that half a page is devoted to “President Hu Visits Senior Scientist”. Since this article deals with an event happening in China, between Chinese and is written much better that the rest of the worthless paper, it can only be a press release from the Chinese Foreign Ministry or Cultural Office. But “The Informer” certainly got it for free.
Verdict: Total waste of money