9 days and SCENE!!!

Ever heard about the famous media terminology “it’s 9 day wonder”? For those who don’t and won’t believe, there have been past controversies within the media that were in essence “muted” after a certain time period..and they range from topics concerning Udecott, Udecott’s former Chairman Calder Hart, Former Prime Minister and Leader of the UNC Basdeo Panday, Former Prime Minister and leader of the PNM Patrick Manning and almost any topic under the sun..

Now working in the media myself I know for a fact that it is not very profitable to carry the same headline for more than a week and readers/viewers often grow tired of seeing the same topic in the news.

Fazeer Mohammed - Talk show host

But sure enough the so called Media hoorah over the “Government’s attack on democracy” is almost over…and coincidentally in 9 days. Let us take for example and examine the Local Media’s outrage over the “dismissal” of Talk-show host Fazeer Mohammed. 

Saturday November 6^th, 2010 – Fazeer Mohammed is informed by CEO Ken Ali that CNMG is cost cutting and he would no longer be on the morning show First Up.

-          But his sacking occurred shortly after an interview he conducted with Foreign Affairs Minister, Suruj Rambachan, during which the two had a heated discussion.  

-          During the exchange, Mohammed, responding to questions by Rambachan said his religion Islam did not condone women in leadership positions.

Sunday November 7^th, 2010- News spreads

Monday November 8^th 2010 – Fazeer Mohammed is replaced with experience morning talk show host Andy Johnson, now head of GISL

-          The dismissal of Fazeer Mohammed is the main toping of most hard hitting Radio talk shows .

-          The Opposition calls a news conference and comments on the dismissal of Fazeer Mohammed. Senator Fitzgerald Hinds claims Government is waging war on the media.

-          News breaks at all television newscasts that Fazeer Mohammed was fired.

Tuesday November 9^th 2010 – All Newspapers (except Newsday who never carried a word) Headlines Fazeer Mohammed’s dismissal.

Wednesday November 10^th 2010 – Muslims angry. Mohammed’s firing now deemed an attack on Religion. 

Thursday November 11^th 2010 – Protest action planned for PM’s arrival from Washington Trip. Answers expected

-          News breaks. PM says that Fazeer Mohammed was not fired. He was to be reincorporated into CNMG’s operations

-          Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Suruj Rambachan says he’s saddened that he was blamed for the dismissal adding that his interview with Fazeer Mohammed was a good one.

-          CNMG CEO Ken Ali says he informed Mohammed that further talks were to be held upon his dismissal and admits that his instructions were given in bad timing.

-          Muslims ‘attack’ (not physically) Andy Johnson for replacing Mohammed on First Up.

Andy Johnson -Head of GISL

Friday November 12^th 2010 – Newspapers carry headlines of Fazeer Mohammed not being actually ‘fired’

-          News of Security Intelligence Agency breaks.

Saturday November 13^th 2010 – Fazeer Mohammed say he’s not going back to CNMG

Sunday November 14^th 2010  - News break – Fazeer Mohammed takes Andy Johnson’s old job.

Is that 9 days as yet? Well not quite but as you can see, the 9 day wonder theory really does exist and the reason why I outlined the Fazeer Mohammed case is due to the fact that his dismissal or firing or whatever you call it was an actual attack on the Media. An attack that’s worth no more than 9 days.

When I thought that local media would have fought Fazeer Mohammed’s case down till the end, here comes the SIA and its juicy spy list (not to trivialize the importance of this issue) and the Media gives Fazeer Mohammed the back seat.

So what becomes of the Partnership Govenrment’s very first attack on the media? Well not much, until Fazeer Mohammed begins his stint on Morning Edition and then maybe..just maybe he’ll get a front page again.

                                           

Here's the actual interview that took place between Fazeer Mohammed and Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Suruj Rambachan. At no point in time are any of the captions the views of d Situation Room tt.