Large media gathering in Burkina Faso

These four days of debate and practical workshops brought together journalists and directors working in radio, television, the press and online media in the country, members of civil society organisations (CSOs), experts, academics, traditional authorities and political representatives to consider the question: " Democracy in Burkina Faso: what are the new relations between citizens, the media and politicians?".

The popular uprising in October 2014 opened the way to a period of transition in which everyone's roles are to be redefined. Journalists and the media play an essential role in democracy in terms of promoting this national debate. Findings have been made on the state of the press in Burkina Faso: its structural problems, its credibility, the place of modernity and tradition, the central role of citizens in the information produced, without forgetting that of civil society and politicians, whether or not in an election period.

The new avenues of collaboration formulated during the seminar must lead to the creation of a charter between the media and CSOs, mutual commitments between the media and politicians, and the development of radio programmes such as civics magazines and "major political and social dialogue".

It was these areas of focus which informed, the following week, the editorial management training of 18 chief radio editors in Ouagadougou, which was led by two expert trainers from CFI and two trainers from Burkina Faso.

These first two weeks of FasoMédias activities got the project going. Scheduled to run until February 2017, it aims to provide training for several dozen professionals from Burkina Faso, in the press, television and radio (local private and public), strengthen media-CSO cooperation and contribute to the reclaiming of the political arena by the citizens.