More sports features
I enjoyed reading the first issue of Talking Drums. I realise that you are probably trying to establish a different format from the other magazines - which is quite understandable. But I believe that it would be to your greatest advantage if you give sports more coverage to satisfy those sports enthusiasts who would patronise your magazine.Ahmed Kolongo Kensington
Spare the rod
I was one of the lucky people to get a copy of the Talking Drums on Friday September 9, and I must say that the first issue contains good articles which should set the trend for the magazine.I could not agree with your editorial more where it emphasised that even though there are many newspapers and periodicals already in existence that have been telling the story of West African for many years and doing a good job at it there is room for more views to be heard.
Suppression of dissenting views has not done any government any good as ample evidence exists all over the African continent and, indeed, many third world countries.
I hope Talking Drums would, in the coming years, continue to give readers the opportunity to "resolve our differences through the power of persuasion by reasoned argument."
Thomas Benson
Unacceptable of journalism
At last someone has said what many people have been itching to say to the GUARDIAN'S reporter who has been feeding that newspaper’s numerous readers with half-truths, jaundiced opinions and sometimes down-right lies fed to her by her friends in power in Accra.Ms Brittain's role viewed against the backdrop of the Foreign Correspondents's attitude makes it imperative to have a magazine like yours to counteract the damage that has been done to the image of the profession.
Quite often when some foreign correspondents resident in their area of coverage are thrown out or accused for biased reporting the world press quickly rally to their support and condemn the offending countries for attempting to suppress the truth. Why then do they condone by their silence deliberate distortions and lies sent out by respectable papers?
If Victoria Brittain is, indeed, beginning "to feel like Henry Kissinger, creating history" by distorting the events in Ghana at this critical time in the country's history, then she can be sure that when the time comes for the books to be written she would go down in banner headlines as the Foreign Corres- pondent whose reports on that country. was the best example of the unacceptable face of journalism.
James Okunor, London
Where do we get copies?
I read about your weekly magazine 'Talking Drums' in the August 29 issue of 'West Africa'. I appreciate your efforts to keep West Africans and their sympathisers both at home and abroad informed of events in the sub-region.I would humbly suggest you give sports a chance since those of us outside face the area read very little if not nothing about how our favourite teams and sporting clubs are faring.
Now, how do West Africans and their sympathisers in West Germany, and especially in Hamburg here obtain their copies of 'Talking Drums'? We do hope you would let the drums talk well. Continue telling the truth. May the Lord be with you and guide you in this bold enterprise.
Yaw Owusu-Donkor
Hamburg
Teething problems
The first issue of Talking Drums lived up to my expectations in many ways. If the paunchy articles - "But the melody lingers on..." which dealt with the disgraceful treatment of Amartey Kwei, a man about to be shot (not that I sympathise with the murderer), the analysis of the post-election mood in Nigeria and others are a preview of things to come then readers of the magazine can look forward to a happy relationship.However, I noticed a few lapses in this issue which may be attributed to teething problems. I refer particularly to the uneven page layout and the size of the prints. For a more enjoyable reading would you please consider printing subsequent issues in bigger prints or types to ease the strain on the eyes.
Your readers would definitely be grateful to be spared the cost of purchasing magnifying glasses to read the magazine.
Sol Conteh
EDITOR'S NOTE Thank you for the suggestions to improve the Magazine. We intend to give Sports more coverage in the subsequent issues. As for the print size, we apologise for the way it came out. It was due to technical issue beyond our control.
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