Major players in the media sector, including the general director of the national daily Le Soleil and representatives of the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), met this Wednesday in Dakar to discuss the future of cooperation between media in French-speaking Africa. The discussions focused on crucial issues such as the co-production of content, the fight against fake news and educating populations about information.
Organized around the theme: “Getting closer to audiences: the future of collaboration between media in French-speaking Africa”, this meeting brought together influential figures from the sector, including Lamine Niang, general director of Le Soleil, Jonathan Munro, director of BBC News Global, Ameth Fall Diagne, editorial director of BBC Africa, as well as representatives of several local media. The main objective of this meeting was to lay the foundations for lasting cooperation, focused on verifying information, strengthening the skills of journalists and producing quality content, adapted to the expectations of audiences in French-speaking Africa.
The discussions made it possible to identify several areas of collaboration. A central question emerged: how to establish a partnership capable of meeting the specific needs of each media while offering quality content accessible to a wide audience? In a context marked by diverse concerns, ranging from geopolitical issues to economic, environmental and cultural questions, this reflection is essential.
During his speech, Lamine Niang underlined the importance of producing content adapted to local realities. “We need content in which our audiences recognize themselves,” he said. He also emphasized the need to strengthen the capacities of journalists, in particular to better fight against fake news, which constitutes a threat to the credibility of information.
Media education and the fight against disinformation
Jonathan Munro has reiterated the BBC’s commitment to fact-checking information. “Verification is at the heart of our mission. We have a rigorous method that we are ready to share with our partners,” he said. He also called for strengthening alliances to effectively combat disinformation, a major challenge for media globally. Eveline Faye, head of the marketing and communications department of the African Broadcasting Union, for her part insisted on the importance of regulating the sector to guarantee fair and reliable information. “It is crucial to establish a framework for cooperation and exchanges in order to give credibility to media content,” she stressed.
-Economic and technological issues
Participants also discussed the challenges linked to the media economic model and the evolution of digital technologies. Faced with an increasingly connected and demanding public, African media must adapt to remain relevant.
In conclusion, Jonathan Munro recalled the responsibility of the BBC in the fight against disinformation and welcomed the constructive exchanges during this meeting. “We share the same challenges. These discussions will allow us to refine our approach to address these challenges together,” he said. Other meetings are planned to consolidate this emerging cooperation and guarantee a fruitful partnership.
Adama NDIAYE
