The Capverdian newspaper A Semana – an IPDC success story
10-01-2007 (Dakar)
A Semana, a weekly newspaper in Cap Verde benefited from its beginnings on from IPDC’s assistance. Today, 15 years after its creation, it is considered as a model for media in Africa and managed to install satellite offices in all the Cape Verde islands.
Filomena Silva, Director of the newspaper A Semana, has been interviewed by a representative of UNESCO's Office in Dakar.
Tell us more about A Semana, how did you begin the newspaper?
A Semana was created at the advent of media pluralism in Africa, which started in Cape Verde in January 1991, the same date that pluralist elections took place. At that time, it was necessary to establish private media, to allow civil society to express itself. At that period, one had to fight against State monopoly which was governing the media. A group of citizens decided to set up the newspaper A Semana, which quickly became a proactive newspaper, playing the role of a ‘watch dog’ in a changing society.
You received assistance from the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC). Can you tell us how it affected the success of the newspaper?
The assistance of the IPDC was essential for the development of A Semana. I remember that when I started managing the newspaper A Semana was going the same way as other independent newspapers at the time. After only two or three years of existence it was going straight to its end because of lacking funds. At that time, Capeverdian newspapers were not receiving any assistance from the government. We were just coming out of the single political party system, with one single uniform press, reflecting only the government’s opinion. So we decided to submit our project to the IPDC, whose assistance allowed us to buy equipment and to train our staff.
Since this time, the IPDC has always accompanied us in the making of our projects. If today people look at us as a reference in the media field in Cape Verde, in the sub-region and at the international level, we own it all to the IPDC.
Apart from the office in Sao Vicente Satellite, you have established new offices on Fogo island and launched an online newspaper. Why are you extending your activities?
Our first satellite office was established in Mindelo, then in Sal and in Santa Antao. At the occasion of the 15th Anniversary of A Semana this year, we opened the Fogo satellite office, which will cover the islands of Fogo and Brava. In setting up various satellite offices on Cape Verde’s several islands, we are bringing the newspaper closer to the local population. We understand ourselves as the vector of development and the voice of the mostly marginalized population.
We are also publishing an internet version, A Semana Online, which can be seen as a portal to the whole country. It was especially designed for the Capeverdian Diaspora and reports on everything that is happening in the country: economy, power supply, water problems but also the weather, the exchange rate etc. Therefore, it is also a good source of information for investors, diplomats and tourists. Statistics proof the growing interest: latest results speak about 200,000 entries per month. We also have the newspaper A Semaniha, which purpose is to educate children via media.
What are your projects for the future?
We have a lot of them! As I have told you before, A Semana is about to become a multimedia company. We are planning radio and television programmes in cooperation with other partners. But first, we are giving priority to the purchase of our own printing press to be able to launch a daily issue of our newspaper.
Tell us more about A Semana, how did you begin the newspaper?
A Semana was created at the advent of media pluralism in Africa, which started in Cape Verde in January 1991, the same date that pluralist elections took place. At that time, it was necessary to establish private media, to allow civil society to express itself. At that period, one had to fight against State monopoly which was governing the media. A group of citizens decided to set up the newspaper A Semana, which quickly became a proactive newspaper, playing the role of a ‘watch dog’ in a changing society.
You received assistance from the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC). Can you tell us how it affected the success of the newspaper?
The assistance of the IPDC was essential for the development of A Semana. I remember that when I started managing the newspaper A Semana was going the same way as other independent newspapers at the time. After only two or three years of existence it was going straight to its end because of lacking funds. At that time, Capeverdian newspapers were not receiving any assistance from the government. We were just coming out of the single political party system, with one single uniform press, reflecting only the government’s opinion. So we decided to submit our project to the IPDC, whose assistance allowed us to buy equipment and to train our staff.
Since this time, the IPDC has always accompanied us in the making of our projects. If today people look at us as a reference in the media field in Cape Verde, in the sub-region and at the international level, we own it all to the IPDC.
Apart from the office in Sao Vicente Satellite, you have established new offices on Fogo island and launched an online newspaper. Why are you extending your activities?
Our first satellite office was established in Mindelo, then in Sal and in Santa Antao. At the occasion of the 15th Anniversary of A Semana this year, we opened the Fogo satellite office, which will cover the islands of Fogo and Brava. In setting up various satellite offices on Cape Verde’s several islands, we are bringing the newspaper closer to the local population. We understand ourselves as the vector of development and the voice of the mostly marginalized population.
We are also publishing an internet version, A Semana Online, which can be seen as a portal to the whole country. It was especially designed for the Capeverdian Diaspora and reports on everything that is happening in the country: economy, power supply, water problems but also the weather, the exchange rate etc. Therefore, it is also a good source of information for investors, diplomats and tourists. Statistics proof the growing interest: latest results speak about 200,000 entries per month. We also have the newspaper A Semaniha, which purpose is to educate children via media.
What are your projects for the future?
We have a lot of them! As I have told you before, A Semana is about to become a multimedia company. We are planning radio and television programmes in cooperation with other partners. But first, we are giving priority to the purchase of our own printing press to be able to launch a daily issue of our newspaper.
Related themes/countries
· Media Development: News Archives 2007
· News Archives: 2007
· Cape Verde: News Archives
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