Based on a new partnership agreement between the BBC’s service for Francophone Africa, BBC Afrique, and a French radio network, Africa No.1 Paris, BBC Afrique programming is now rebroadcast by Africa No.1 Paris. BBC Afrique and Africa No.1 Paris have also announced the launch , from Saturday, 6 October, of a joint weekly current-affairs debate programme, Le Débat BBC Afrique-Africa No.1.
BBC Afrique content on radio and online on bbcafrique.com is produced in London and Dakar as well as in the BBC’s bureaux in Abidjan, Bujumbura, Kigali and Kinshasa, delivering the BBC’s regional and global news coverage to Francophone audiences in Africa and around the world.
Africa No.1 Paris is broadcast in France on 107.5 in Paris, 87.6 in Mantes la Jolie, and 92.3 in Melun. Based on the partnership agreement with the BBC, the network’s France-based stations now rebroadcast the BBC Afrique daily news and current-affairs programmes, BBC Matin, BBC Midi, BBC Infos, BBC Soir and L’Invité as well as La Page des Sports. On Saturdays, Africa No.1 audiences can also tune in to BBC Afrique’s weekly programme, L’interview.
CEO of Africa No.1 Paris, Dominique Guihot, says: “With the growing importance of African news – not just in the Francophone world – Africa No.1 Paris has sought to strengthen its operations on the African continent. With BBC Afrique, we get access to the BBC’s global news reporting and analysis, expanding the scope of our news coverage far beyond the Francophone sphere.”
The new weekly debate programme Le Débat BBC Afrique-Africa No.1 at 10.00 GMT every Saturday, will connect the BBC Afrique presenter, Lilianne Nyatcha in Dakar and Africa No. 1’s Francis Laloupo in Paris, engaging audiences in a debate on the key issue of the week. Each programme will feature a high-profile African personality to discuss key issues on the week’s news agenda, be it politics, economy, culture or sports. Le Débat BBC Afrique-Africa No.1 will be broadcast by both BBC Afrique and Africa No.1.
BBC Afrique Editor, Ibrahima Diane, comments: “In addition to giving BBC Afrique programmes excellent exposure to African diaspora audiences in France, this new partnership also offers us exciting editorial opportunities. We hope very much that our new weekly debate programme, Le Débat BBC Afrique-Africa No.1, will further reinforce the connection between African diaspora communities and our audiences in Francophone Africa. It will be an important and exciting addition to our weekly schedule.”
BBC Africa Editor, Solomon Mugera, adds: “As we are witnessing a major expansion of African diaspora, it’s really important for the BBC to maintain connection with its audiences, wherever they are. It’s really great that, thanks to partnership with Africa No.1, BBC Afrique can reach listeners in France who want to be kept up to date with the BBC’s global and African news.”
Le Débat BBC Afrique-Africa No.1 also will be available for listening online, via bbcafrique.com and africa1.com. The BBC and Africa No.1 Paris have also announced their plans to extend their editorial partnership to more co-productions, focusing on sport and culture.