BUJUMBURA April 30th (ABP) – The Europe team, together with some of the most followed Burundian influencers on social networks, carried out on Tuesday April 25, 2023, a series of visits to the various Burundian media under the theme “The role of media in the development of Burundi”, a check on the site by ABP has revealed.
Those influencers were the artist Sat-B, Paulin Bizimana alias DJ, Maly, Kirikou Akili, and Mona Walda Kaneza who was Miss Burundi in 2016. As for the media visited, it is the Yaga newspaper, the Iwacu newspaper, Radio-Television Isanganiro and Burundi News Publications (PPB).
The head of the Yaga newspaper, Mr. Hugues Safari, said that Yaga works proactively while always placing particular emphasis on its editorial line “Life, youth”.
The editorial director of the Iwacu newspaper, Abbas Mbazumutima, indicated that this newspaper has been at work since 2008 and collects information in all areas of life in the country. It releases 1,000 copies a week and distributes them on Friday and Saturday, while Thursday is considered closing day, he said.
As for Radio-television Isanganiro (RTI), its director Sylvère Ntakarutimana recalled that Radio Isanganiro has been broadcasting in Burundi since 2002 under the motto “Dialogue is better than force”. The RTI admires the work of the artists, from where it set up a contest of the artists called Isanganiro Award which rewards the best works of the latter, added Mr. Ntakarutimana.
The director of “Le Renouveau” newspaper, Mr. Festin Ntiyumvamabwire, indicated that this newspaper has been serving the nation since 1978. It produces 900 copies a day and can be read on the website and followed on the twitter account, while it plans to use the Facebook account soon, he pointed out.
That series of visits was followed by a discussion session at the German Embassy in Burundi, in the presence of the Ambassador of the European Union in Burundi, Claude Bochu. Those exchanges were conducted between the Europe team, the heads of the media visited and the influencers mentioned above, as part of the foretaste of the celebration of International Press Freedom Day. The artists welcomed those visits to the various media because, they said, they gave them the opportunity to learn about the daily work of the media.
The German Ambassador to Burundi, Dieter Reinl, told the media that he positively appreciated the exchanges that took place between the Europe team, media managers and influencers. He pointed out that editorial media and social media play a big role in communicating with their respective audiences.
Note that the International Press Freedom Day is celebrated every year in May.