The general director of Radiodiffusion-Télévision du Senegal (RTS) was the guest of the morning show Salam Senegal on national radio. He addressed numerous issues including the audits carried out within the company, the agreements with the unions, as well as his relationship with the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister.
Addressing first of all the coverage of the legislative elections, Pape Alé Niang specifies that, thanks to the support of the State, the RTS covers the 41 lists of candidates and produces campaign newspapers under the supervision of the National Regulatory Council of Audiovisual (CNRA), thus guaranteeing fair and balanced coverage of all competing lists.
After six months at the head of public broadcasting, Pape reveals that “we are in a financial abyss, at least according to the revelations made by a firm of experts over two months”. He adds: “The RTS is drowning in debt. I used to call on the administrative and financial director to tell him that I had the impression that we were not paying our suppliers, because every day, huge bills fall on my table. » The RTS is going through great financial difficulties, but “we are fighting”, continues the director.
He also reveals that “the General State Inspectorate will come and do its work, because the President of the Republic has requested it”. To illustrate his remarks on this financial chasm, he cites the example of the RTS tower. “Take our turn, inaugurated with great fanfare with rave speeches for President Macky Sall; this tower has already swallowed up 33 billion and is not operational. » According to the opinion of many Senegalese, the RTS is located in this tower, which is currently an empty building. In addition, the company is requesting an amendment of 10 billion to complete it.
Pape Alé assures that “this whole issue is on the table of the Prime Minister and the State so that they can do what is necessary. Because, as journalists, what we really want is to be comfortable, and we want this tower to be completed to do our job properly.” This is why he calls on all RTS workers and agents to “be a united bloc”. “I do not consider an agent as a member of a union, but as an agent of the RTS. We must be proud to work for the company to rehabilitate the dignity of the journalist. You, on the radio, don’t have so many problems since you receive everyone, but it is under my mandate that television receives opposition figures, and this will continue because nothing prohibits it. » He takes the opportunity to “thank the authorities of this country; neither the President, nor the responsible minister, nor the Prime Minister questioned me about the appearance of anyone on TV.” Moreover, the Prime Minister “often tells me to fight so that RTS is the television of all Senegalese and that it can take up the challenge of reconciling the Senegalese people”.
No contracts have been suspended
During this interview, Pape Alé also returned to the company convention agreements between the RTS and the unions. According to him, “there is confusion, because no contract has been suspended. There are fixed-term contracts that have expired and have not been renewed, and this should not be automatic; it depends on the assessment.” He even wonders: “If President Macky really wanted good for the company, why sign a decree a few days before the end of his mandate? » He also notes that the former director signed the company agreement on March 29, a decree which, according to him, “only benefits the directors”.
We have great relationships and truth
Speaking about his relationship with the Sonko-Diomaye duo, the director reveals that “many talk about it, but our relationship dates back to 2005, when I was at Sud FM radio. Ousmane Sonko fought at the general directorate of taxes and domains to establish a union there. At the time, Customs was also struggling to have its union, and he (Sonko) succeeded in the challenge as General Secretary of Taxes and Estates. Mame Boy Diao was the spokesperson. That’s where our knowledge comes from.” So, it was well before the creation of his party that I was among the rare journalists to invite him. I invited him on SamediMag (2STV show) after the creation of the CREI, because he had written an article showing how this institution violated the presumption of innocence. I found the article relevant and called him so that he could come and explain himself to SamediMag. Since then, our relations have remained the same, even if all the press boycotted him, I continued to invite him on my shows. Pape adds that “many people give Sonko a bad rap without really knowing him, because they only see his commitment in the political arena, but he has a heart of gold.” As for President Diomaye, he is as formidable as his Prime Minister, says Pape Alé. “I interviewed him for the first time on the program Décryptage (2STV program), where we talked about the mining code. These are therefore special relationships with them. »
For those who expected something else, Pape Alé “challenges anyone to prove that I hold a Pastef membership card”. Moreover, as a journalist, “I have never been to a Pastef conference, nor have I ever covered their activities”. On the other hand, “what I post on my social networks only concerns me and not the director of RTS,” he concludes.
