Burkina Info TV, the Burkina Faso media organisation promoting democracy

This week, an interview with Soumaela Ouedraogo, better known as Ismael Ouedraogo, from the television channel Burkina Info TV, in Burkina Faso.

Burkina Info TV is a Burkina Faso television channel which was created on 3 May 2015 by the journalist Rémi Fulgance Dandjinou. The channel broadcasts from Ouagadougou and particularly focuses on handling general information.

Burkina Info TV, an influential media organisation

“We talk to anyone interested in the news of the country."Soumaela Ouedraogo is the managing director of the television channel.
Having worked as a journalist committed to issues of democracy from 2008 to 2014, he is actively opposed to the amendment of Article 37 of the constitution of Burkina Faso. In 2015, he was awarded the title of Knight of the Order of National Merit for his contribution to alternation and the reinforcement of democracy in Burkina Faso.

In parallel with his duties as director, he hosts his own show on Burkina Info TV. Called Le grand déballage, it is a political programme in which actors from socio-political life are invited to discuss issues related to democracy. The media organisation is primarily aimed at women, the elderly and the people of Burkina Faso in the homeland and the diaspora.
The team is made up of 80 people, working at Burkina Info TV headquarters, located in the capital's business centre: the Ouaga 2000 district.
According to Soumaela, the people of Burkina Faso have more trust in their media than in institutions, particularly the judicial system. An exception in a global context where the credibility of journalists is often questioned:

“Critical press reporting is commonplace and very often leads to solutions."

The media therefore act as a catalyst, by exposing certain issues and encouraging the authorities to take them in hand. It was moreover an interview by Soumaela with a former political prisoner, who had suffered torture under the regime of the former president Blaise Compaoré, which led to him becoming double winner of the Galian prize (in the “Radio interview" category in 2015) which honours the best journalists in Burkina Faso.
“Since the murder of the journalist Norbert Zongo, the freedom of the press has taken a leap forward. The media contributed to defending the interests of the people with the October 2014 uprising and the September 2015 coup", states the young, 37-year-old managing director.

Staying at the cutting edge of new technology in the business

“In addition to the television channel, we broadcast pre-recorded programmes there, in order to reach as many people as possible."The website www.burkinainfo.tv was created 6 months after the birth of the television channel, to popularise its programmes. The website is the ideal place for the detailed handling of information. We use burkinainfo.tv to relay public statements, press releases and long-format topics", he says.
Since its launch, the website has encountered some difficulties: " Our webmasters are struggling to find the best formula to make it more functional. The partners who installed it are working on it right now", explains Soumaela.

The channel also has Facebook page followed by 60 000 people, a Twitter aacount with 8 900 subscribers and Youtube channel totalling 2 800 subscribers.

Despite a few obstacles related to the lack of credible sources, Burkina Info TV journalists are encouraged to go into the field as often as possible to report: “ At the time of the attacks, for example, it was difficult to obtain up-to-date information on the situation".
As for the routine activities of the editorial team, the topics covered by the media organisation are discussed in advance, during an editorial conference held every day at 7.30 am from Monday to Friday and at 8 am at the weekend.
Burkina Info TV promoter, Rémi Fulgance Dandjinou has been appointed Minister for Communication and Relations with Parliament and spokesperson for the government of Burkina Faso. Since then, he has stepped away from the channel's activities: “As managing director and chief media officer, I have never received any instructions from him on the handling of information", states Soumaela.

Journalists from Burkina Info receive continuous training throughout the year and attend a series of workshops: " This was the case with CFI's Faso Media project, which contributed to the professionalisation of our journalists" says the director.
The economic model of the media organisation is essentially based on advertising and “billed reports".
In the long term, Burkina Info TV aims to initially cover the countries of the zone UEMOA, then the entire continent by deploying a network of correspondents throughout Africa.