Paradoxically it is more simple to have permissions

The 1,500 chairs were not enough... In the sweltering heat of Bobo Dioulasso, some even arrived two hours before the start of the show, to be sure to have a seating... When the French international radio RFI relocating its programmes in Africa, the success is guaranteed. At Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso's second city, RFI had taken early December his antenna for registration in public of several of its flagship programs devoted to Africa. For two days, between 3,000 and 5,000 people have been moving to attend "Calls on the news", presented by Juan Gomez, "Archives of Africa" or "the African", lively debate by Alain Foka. There, as everywhere in francophone Africa, the two men are stars, folding at the end of each of their emissions to an endless autograph session....

With three resident two listeners in this part of the world, or 25 million, Africa is crucial for RFI, with an annual budget of 130 million euros. It is his birthplace - RFI today is the direct heir of the former colonial post created in the 1930s - his favourite territory and its main axis of development. With the exception of the Arab countries, where RFI, via its subsidiary in the Arabic language, MCD Doualiya, is listened to by more than 7 million listeners, no other region in the world reached a significant hearing.

Two-way relationship

In Ile de France, only French region where RFI has an FM transmitter, the hearing of the radio does not exceed 1. "Our listeners are in Africa, but this does not mean that should process the African news." "We are only able to provide global and Pan-African news," said Anne-Marie Capomaccio, Deputy Director of information RFI, in charge of Africa.

This year was a little special, for Africa and for RFI. For the 50th anniversary of independence from the former colonies of the region, RFI multiplied movements of its antennas, from Chad, Mali, Senegal and Burkina Faso. "If we are not going to Africa, it is difficult to feel our listeners to see how they evolve." "On a need of this contact," says Anne-Marie Capomaccio.

The relationship is a two-way street. RFI is also a full media in Africa, where it also fulfils an important role: that of open debates that local media cannot or do not want to open. In Burkina Faso, at the beginning of December, a question raises the debate: the repeal of section 37 of the Constitution, which limit to two the number of presidential mandates. In the background, the question of the maintenance of the power of President Blaise Compaoré, reached joysticks in 1987 through a coup and elected several times subsequently. The last time, it was in November, with more than 80 of the vote in the first round.

In addressing such issues, the French radio also plays its credibility. "We do we ban no matter and do not bargain with the authorities of a country on the topics we want to address when we move", says Juan Gomez., host of "calls on the news." "It is a certificate of good conduct." We lose all credibility if we are not asking the right questions, the more delicate issues. Paradoxically, it is more simple to have permissions. "RFI is a foreign radio and we are not competitors of the local media," said Anne-Marie Capomaccio.