Broadcasters renew push for U.S. AM radio legislation on Capitol Hill
DAKAR, Senegal — Launched on Oct. 1, 2025, by France Médias Monde, ZOA is a 100% digital French-speaking pan-African media outlet designed to provide “a voice and a media platform” to the continent’s youth. Based in Dakar within the France Médias Monde Hub, ZOA operates autonomously with a youthful editorial team, producing reports, videos and interactive content shared on social media that highlight current events and the heritage of a “moving Africa.”
The symbolic name ZOA — meaning “The Good Star” in several central African languages — was chosen after a year of coordination with the teams at Radio France Internationale and France 24 and reflects a vision of a new, enlightened and vibrant Africa. “The goal was also to find a short, impactful name, understandable to all and easy to pronounce in most African and Western languages,” says Kaourou Magassa, ZOA’s editor-in-chief. A French-Malian journalist and documentary filmmaker, who has worked at RFI’s Africa Service, TV5 Monde and Radio France in Paris and from Bamako, he views ZOA as a continuation to his commitment. “I’ve always seen myself as a social-issues journalist, long covering Africa daily; interested in complex subjects such as hereditary slavery in the Kayes region, the mausoleums destroyed by jihadists in northern Mali in the city of Timbuktu before they were rebuilt, and issues of sexual violence.”
Magassa says that while ZOA is editorially independent from the RFI and France 24 newsrooms, it remains connected to the broader France Médias Monde organization, which provides technical and financial support.
A young editorial team
After a selection process conducted with the human resources team at France Médias Monde, which reviewed applications from across the French-speaking African world, an editorial team of 10 journalists, with an average age of 28, was formed, including five men and five women from various African countries.
ZOA also benefits from a network of correspondents in 11 French-speaking African nations, including Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo, Cameroon, Benin, Guinea, Senegal, Chad, Mauritania, Morocco and Burundi.
“The selection focused on the high quality of the CVs and the skills of the many candidates seduced by the creation of a new media outlet dedicated to telling Africa’s story. This generation of young journalists on the continent is extremely talented, highly proficient with social media, and knows how to film,” says Magassa. “For now, we are concentrating on French-speaking Africa. The French language brings us together. People thousands of kilometers apart can see what is happening in Mauritania from Kinshasa, and vice versa. It’s a real asset, and no translation is needed.”
ZOA also benefits from a network of correspondents in 11 French-speaking African nations.
Eagerness to tell stories
Regular editorial meetings facilitate discussions on topics from correspondents and the Dakar team. Magassa emphasizes the collaboration with Cécile Goudou, from Benin, deputy editor-in-chief and winner of the 2016 Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon Prize. The prize honors the memory of two assassinated RFI journalists and is designed to support young radio journalists and sound/technical radio technicians from French-speaking African countries. “We refine the angles with the journalists and their many proposals — so much is happening on the continent. Their eagerness to tell so many stories is wonderful!”
Each journalist contributes to audiovisual production based on their field experience, covering themes relevant to both young and older audiences, including social issues, sports and culture, and heritage, which is extremely popular, according to Magassa.
ZOA’s long-format reports enable audiences to discover and rediscover history, such as in a documentary on Patrice Lumumba’s assassination, or to explore the culture and traditions of certain regions, such as the coming-of-age ceremony of the Diola communities in southern Senegal.
“We dive deep into subjects and produce a wide variety of reports, such as about Oualata, one of Mauritania’s ancient cities, and the Ousmane Sow Museum in Dakar. We also tackle more current topics with an open eye on what is happening across the world and in Africa, such as a recent production on Singles’ Day, which discussed increasing statistics, and World Diabetes Day,” adds Magassa.
He explains that ZOA’s approach to current events differs from traditional hard news. “We can react quickly, but with topics such as health, cultural activities and others, we inform audiences about how society functions and about our shared history — all these subjects form ZOA’s DNA.”
Editorial independence
Magassa emphasizes ZOA’s commitment to editorial independence, stating that the newsroom has complete control over content. “I am the editorial supervisor, together with Goudou, for the content published on ZOA’s platforms, and we discuss it extensively.” He highlights the central role of journalists, stating, “Our goal is for our audiences to take an active part in what we produce.” The team fosters collaborative topic development, aiming to deliver high-quality content in a youthful language. We are not producing ‘positive news’ — we tell facts, the reality, sharing stories from everyday life, including those of young athletes dreaming of competing on global stages.”
He finds inspiration in showcasing the beauty of what he calls “Africa on the move.” “ZOA seeks to showcase the beauty of an evolving Africa.”
ZOA distributes its content across popular social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, WhatsApp, YouTube, and Instagram, targeting young people while also appealing to older generations. “With the questions, interests and perspectives of young Africans, everyone can discover and learn through our reports,” says Magassa.
The impact of storytelling
With internet access nearing 80% in urban areas, ZOA’s content reaches a broad audience. Magassa reports positive engagement, with viewers providing feedback and suggestions, reflecting the impactful nature of ZOA’s storytelling.
He shares an example of a program featuring a young woman making local juices in Guinea. Viewers praised her efforts and suggested improvements, such as using biodegradable packaging. “Such interactions reflect the inspiring impact of ZOA’s content on its audience.”
Magassa highlights the importance of technical quality. “At ZOA, we use professional equipment — tripods for cameras and high-quality microphones — because technical quality is essential to us and to the project.” The team often uses mobile phones mounted on tripods with microphones and lights to achieve broadcast-quality standards while adapting to digital tools. “Filming accurately with a mobile phone also requires real expertise.”
While it is located in the Dakar Hub of France Médias Monde, ZOA operates independently with its own equipment, distinct from the Mandenkan and Fulfulde radio services that have full broadcast facilities and recording studios.
Magassa underlines the team’s enthusiasm. “This is a wonderful adventure. We are truly dedicated to telling ‘our Africa’ and its place in the world.”
The author has worked in the radio industry for over 30 years. She has held posts as both a producer and presenter for French stations, such as Radio Notre Dame and Radio France’s France Culture. In addition to being involved with academic research and EU consulting in Brussels, she specializes in print journalism.
This article first appeared in the January/February 2026 edition of RedTech Magazine. You can read or download this edition for free here. You can access past editions of RedTech Magazine, also for free, here.
These stories might interest you
RedTech Magazine January/February 2026 holds the line
