Reporter Volume 25, No.29 June 13, 1994

By MARK WALLACE
Reporter Staff
WBFO recently played host to a radio newsman from The Gambia, who was
learning the ropes from staff members of the university's NPR
affiliate.
	Abdoulie Gassama from Banjul, an information officer at Radio
Gambia, visited Buffalo from May 23-June 3 to spend time at WBFO under
the United States Telecommunications Training Institute program.
Gassama was a participant in the USTTI program, which provides
opportunities for free telecommunications and broadcast training
courses to communications professionals around the world.
 	Gassama took a condensed versionJof WBFO's Radio Practicum
course, as well as receiving hands-on opportunities both in the WBFO
studio and around Western New York.
	"The experience taught me a lot about how radio stations are
put together," Gassama said. "I learned some things about operations
and resource development. I also learned a lot about computers, which
my station doesn't have yet. The radio station I work for is
government owned, but a lot of what they do here at WBFO is very
applicable."
	Gassama met with members of WBFO's staff, discussing news and
talk programming, music programming, development, promotion,
management, and many aspects of technical operations. He visited the
Buffalo area as well, and spent a day attending the New York State
Democratic Convention.
	The experience introduced him to new techniques and
technologies, Gassama said; it also provided opportunities for on-air
reports about the United States when he returns home. For Radio
Gambia, Gassama's duties include putting together the Weekend
Spectrum, a popular news and current affairs program. 
	"I'll be reporting on Buffalo from the eyes of a foreign
journalist," he said. "And I'll be talking about other aspects of the
United States as well."
	Jennifer Roth, general manager of WBFO, says, "We didn't want
to bring someone from the other side of the world and just talk at him
for two weeks. So we gave him a spectrum of activities, from lectures
to more active participation. Working with us and seeing us in
operation is opening new worlds for him in the area of his chosen
profession. And we learned as much from him as I hope he learned from
us."
	The USTTI program is very competitive, Gassama said, noting
that he was one of thousands of applicants. He first applied several
years ago, but lack of travel funds forced him to delay his visit
until this year, he said. The funds for Gassama's trip were provided
by the U.S. Agency of International Development. "My visit has been a
real worldwide venture," Gassama said.
	"We will have future opportunities to participate in the USTTI
program," Jennifer Roth said.