Mediasahel promotes the digital development of community radio stations

For community and local radio stations, adapting to new digital technologies and social media is an opportunity for them to develop their online presence and reach a wider audience. To help with this, Mediasahel offered its partner radio stations 10-day training courses focussing on content creation and social media account management. The objective was to enable them to develop the skills required to prosper in this booming digital environment.

The feedback from the participants from the radio Djawoampo and Voix des Balés stations confirmed the importance of the training. Abdoul Kafao Zoungrana, director of Radio Djawoampo, was very enthusiastic about the training: “Thanks to this training, I have learned how to create more impactful and captivating content such as podcasts for our audience. This will strengthen our connection with our listeners, even beyond our community”.
As for Idrissa Kaboré, from Voix des Balés, he highlighted the fact that the training will improve their online presence.

At the heart of the training is content creation, which takes priority. The radio presenters developed the skills to enable them to produce appealing programmes and tell captivating stories that meet the expectations of their target audience. The video editing software and the audio publishing and visual creation applications were explored to increase the online content offered by the radio stations.

Professionally management of social media accounts was another key facet of the training. The presenters were instructed on good practices for managing their online reputation, responding to listeners’ comments and maintaining a coherent presence on social media. They also learned how to analyse data and statistics from platforms to measure the impact of their online actions and adapt their strategy as a result.

Throughout the training, the spotlight was placed on ethics and responsibility when using social media. The radio presenters were encouraged to broadcast verified information, to promote constructive discourse and to respect the private lives of their listeners, while also avoiding controversial content.

Following this experience, the presenters have gained the skills required to adapt to new information and communication technologies. However, they highlighted the challenges that they will face when they return to their radio stations, such as a lack of equipment and connection issues.

Here, the Mediasahel project has shown its commitment to the development of local media outlets and its desire to promote innovation and inclusion in the radio sector. These newly acquired skills will enable the community and local radio stations to play a key role as voices of their communities and to broaden their influence beyond local boundaries.