The radio notices started in early spring. The constant television scroll made the announcement amidst reports about Libya and the Salone Stars football team. On Wednesday, March 23rd, three of the 30-odd daily newspapers in Freetown ran center spot, double-page spreads. Pages were stapled to notice boards within the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC). The new SLBC web site lists the jobs available and has a PDF of the application form. And, the media sector in Sierra Leone is abuzz… with the news of the SLBC recruitment campaign.

A much-needed cleanup day did more than clear the dust at SLBC. It became symbolic of the change from stale, state-run facility to the nation’s first ever public broadcasting network. The “rescue team” of thirty-five active, young volunteers – men and women – clambered out of the poda-podas (converted mini-vans) sporting white t-shirts that read, “Support SLBC” early last Saturday morning.

Gbanabom (Elvis) Hallowell was officially welcomed to the fold at SLBC as the new, permanent, Board-approved, presidentially-appointed Director General on October 1, 2010. After months of application forms, interviews, “politicking”, review committees and appointment processes, Gbanabom’s presence is a very welcome sign that things are moving forward in the transition from state-owned SLBS to the public broadcaster SLBC. Signs of progress can be few and far between but this giant step is hugely significant.

For far too long, SLBC has operated under interim management. The appointment of Gbanabom and S.B., as they preferred to be called, is a culmination of a large number of events, negotiations, processes and procedures. It’s been a long road and we’re just starting our journey…

On October 1, 2010, the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation bid farewell to its “Acting Director General” and “Acting Deputy Director General,” Patrick Tarawalli and Mohamed Samura, respectively.

Does it matter how we communicate or is WHAT we communicate of utmost importance?

They (the techie-geeks and widget-wacks) talk about the internet being “in the clouds” but really the words and pictures we put online/out-there are as immoveable as stone. They will last. They will outlive us. People far-and-wide will read them. Societies will be affected by them… and they will make a difference.

From words carved in stone to papyrus scrolls and then to moveable type, words and pictures have travelled and evolved.

President Ernest Bai Koroma inspecting the troops on Independence Day, April 27, 2010.

The SOS School in Freetown, Sierra Leone - sponsored by a German NGO. This is Fatumata, a 10 year old student at SOS.