As part of our mission to provide reliable and useful journalism to those who need it the most, Fondation Hirondelle is strengthening our digital offer. The majority of our core audiences in crisis zones still rely heavily on radio for information, but new tools and evolutions in media landscapes are compelling us to become more ambitious with our other channels. In particular, the explosion of disinformation on social media requires that we firmly establish our presence in this sphere in order to identify and address false and harmful content with accurate, engaging information. Platforms such as Tik Tok, Facebook and WhatsApp are also a means to step up interaction with younger audiences and better understand their needs and interests.
We are working with the media development organisation HEI-DA to undertake audits of our existing digital presence and identify opportunities to strengthen our core media in Africa. We know, for example, that we need to get better at creating short videos, eye-catching infographics and digestible debunking products. Studio Hirondelle in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been experimenting with new approaches for Instagram and TikTok in order to help young audiences navigate their country’s recent elections (December 2023), while Studio Tamani in Mali is now doing regular fact-checks for social media. In countries where internet connections are patchy, WhatsApp is proving a useful tool for sharing content with audiences which they can listen to offline at their leisure, as tested by our team at Radio Ndeke Luka in Central African Republic. We plan to increase our use of such social messaging apps in future, as they play a major role in the spread of disinformation.
Navigating the ever-changing algorithms of social networks companies presents a significant challenge for media organizations trying to ensure their content reaches their audiences effectively. This is why we need to diversify the platforms we use and better-understand how to use analytics and build community engagement.
One of the biggest challenges will be to stay abreast of the latest developments, notably those related to generative artificial intelligence, and to harness the opportunities they provide, while laying ground rules regarding ethical and security considerations.
As we seek to serve our audiences’ evolving needs across all channels, the cornerstone of our work will remain our commitment to providing information that is accessible and trustworthy.
Jacqueline Dalton, Head of Editorial Content