Those are the words of assurance from GTV’s most recently appointed top executive, Mohammed Sattaur.

Sattaur’s interview with the Stabroek News touched on wide-ranging issues including staffing, training, and financing, as well as balance and objectivity. Reinforced by views of his two editorial and production coordinators respectively, Martin Goolsarran and Neaz Subhan, Sattaur, known for his prowess in the field of banking management, is bringing his experiences and skills to bear.

That fight began with his entry into the media last October, armed with a 15 million dollar budgetary infusion to nurse the ailing baby back to full life. “There was a conception in the past that we were not giving balance, but since October when I came in here I said that we have an obligation as the National Station to deal fairly and equitably with the viewing public and to give them a balanced story,” the number one GTV official remarked.

Tapping resource persons

He recalled that discussions were held with several persons. Sattaur pointed out that resource personnel such as Vic Insanally, Adam Harris, Enrico Woolford and Carlton James were invited to address the team on such issues as balance, news packaging, and structure.

It was out of those critical analyses, Sattaur indicated, that the current news package was forged, including an attempt to develop the type of feature input that seeks to distinguish the GTV newscast.

According to the GTV top brass, it was Insanally who came up with the concept of a half hour newscast, replacing the hour-long news with a shorter, brisk half-hour news package.

Sattaur noted that the dialogue involving the four experienced newsmen eventually formed the basis for the present GTV newscast, which he is contending is second to none, adding that it is the premier newscast on local television screens.

But he did acknowledge that internationally, opinion polls are normally used to determine such status.

He recalled the experimental operation with the new look newscast last November “some new graphics, intro, we did a couple of features, an indepth feature in the news story, it went very well and people were surprised to see this.” “But,” he sighed, “it only lasted for a few weeks.”

Following discussions with leading members of his team it was decided to suspend the special features until there was the capacity to produce them on a continuous basis.

“I went back to the drafting board and redesigned the concept, putting in a couple of other features like health tips, and brought in today in history, view point...so we came up with a comprehensive list of features that we wanted,” he explained.

The next move to restructure the newsroom was “to build the capacity ... on a consistent basis...instead of one editor, we now have two newsroom editors. We now have a newsroom coordinator who looks after the logistics of getting the cameras together, the vehicles available, making sure the reporters go out on their assignments on time, etc.”

Now there are four experienced reporters and three who are in training. “We boosted the number of cameramen in the newsroom. So the newsroom now is a unit designed to respond in a very prompt and efficient manner to anything that is out there.”

Getting on top of breaking news

Sattaur noted: “You can see that coming through with the breaking news story that we do...if something happens even if it is midnight, someone is out there to shine a light on the road showing you what has happened.”

He was eager to point out that “In the past and before I came to GTV, we had this scenario that when something happens, you turn to Sharma, or you turn to some one of the other stations to see what has happened. Nobody turned to GTV - but now, if you hear about a shooting, the first thing you do now is you turn to GTV to see what has happened because we have somebody there.

If we do not bring you the actual report, there is an info bar saying GTV has received a report that this is happening there and we will bring you the details later.”

He is giving credit to Subhan who has been seconded from the Government Information Agency (GINA), and is heading the Project Department. This department now employs a graphics specialist so GTV can produce graphics regularly to enhance its programming capacity. “When we attempted our first feature we had to contract someone to do the graphics. We now have the capacity to produce our own as well as those for persons desirous of advertising and utilizing our facilities,” Sattaur told this newspaper.

These moves by GTV are seen as an effort not only to save the state-owned television company from crashing financially, but to help ease the pressure from the critics that it has been using taxpayers money while indulging in partisan television coverage.

Stronger signals from Essequibo to Corentyne

Meanwhile, for persons in the far-flung areas of the country the GTV programme of development would certainly be welcome. Sattaur is assuring that the expansion programme will now see stronger signals covering from the Essequibo Coast to the Corentyne and including the bauxite mining areas.

He is confident that this will go a very far way not only to build confidence in the GTV, but to provide news coverage and programming that will support the process of integrating the Guyanese people.

Currently, Sattaur explained, the GTV is reaching coastal Guyana by paying certain stations to air its news package. However, when GTV can reach the entire area with strong signals, those stations would have to purchase the news package if they desire to air it. Local programming

Former General Manager of the television company, Goolsarran, who is now free to fully coordinate the production process commented: “We have gone a long way, we recognise that television is not an easy industry. It has to be developed.” He recalled the early days with the Film Centre when films were being produced under the Ministry of Information, the period under the Guyana Public Communications Agency, and leading to the formation of the current Guyana Television Company.

He pointed out that instead of mainly taking materials from the satellite, the GTV operatives were instead developing the type of programme that reflects situations nationally, in a variety of areas.

“We are well equipped both in terms of personnel and resources,” he assured.

He spoke of the production of documentaries on a seasonal as well as on a regular basis as part of the areas of improvement at the GTV.

Goolsarran’s views were also supported by Subhan who observed that while the news team is striving for balance and objectivity it was also seeking to let the world know that Guyana has lots of positives going for it.