Elodie MBIDA is the Publishing Director of Naole Média, a French-speaking African platform specializing in news about the communications industry, with a focus on public relations, communications, and crisis management.
Convinced that local expertise must be fully leveraged to grow the ecosystem, she works to promote professionals in the communications and information industries, both locally and internationally.
Elodie is regularly invited to speak on topics related to the role of the media in the African narrative, public relations, institutional communication, crisis communication and management, and female leadership.
She has also initiated a strategic partnership with Smart Data Power, a leader in data management. As part of this collaboration, Naole Media conducts studies focused on communication in French-speaking Africa.
Can you tell us about NAOLE Media? What types of content do you produce and which countries do you cover
?
We are the leading African media outlet specializing in news about the communications industry, with a focus on public relations, communication, and crisis management. The platform also disseminates information on the media and agencies in French-speaking Africa. We produce written content (articles, special reports, listings) and video content (webinars, broadcasts). We work to cover all countries in French-speaking Africa through our choice of contributors.
Our ambition is to breathe new life into the promotion and practice of communication professions, particularly public relations, communication, and crisis management, in our African context. We emphasize the quality of the content we create, but also the promotion of the various players in these professions and their initiatives. Finally, we want to inspire students and aspiring communicators who want to learn more about the sector.
How do you see your development?
We will continue to create inspiring content on communication via our website www.naolemedia.com
, and we will continue to grow with the players in the ecosystem through partnerships (Le Bon As Radio for weekly PR columns, Troc Radio for the co-production of the program "Com'Sous le Baobab,"
and Smart Data Power, a specialist in data collection and analysis). All these collaborations enable us to create, produce, and distribute quality content and studies on communication in French-speaking Africa.
As human resources are one of the essential elements for the development of a company, we are committed to creating a pleasant working environment for our employees, as well as opportunities for continuing education.
In the same vein, we are preparing to launch our SAM (Mentored Academic Internships) Program for students from several French-speaking African countries. Young recruits will work on stimulating professional projects and will also benefit from the advice of experts who will accompany them throughout the program.
You recently published the first list of the 40 most inspiring women in the communications and media professions in French-speaking Africa and its diaspora. What motivated this publication? Do you plan to publish it annually?
One of Naole Media's objectives is to promote the expertise of African professionals working on the continent or on topics related to Africa. It seemed only natural to us to shine a spotlight on these professionals. In particular, those working in communications and media in French-speaking Africa and its diaspora who, through their hard work and proven skills, are helping to change the narrative of our continent.
NaoleMédia40 is an annual list compiled independently by Naole Média. It identifies, lists, and ranks in alphabetical order women in the communications and media professions who are helping to rewrite the narrative of the African continent.
How did you compile it?
Do you plan to publish it annually?
The result of many months of work, Naole Media called on seasoned specialists to compile this ambitious and unique list, which takes stock of the driving forces on which our beloved continent can rely to move resolutely towards tomorrow.
In order to list the selected profiles, a number of weighted criteria were taken into account, such as accomplishments (professional experience, achievements, social impact), status (reputation, position, and influence), and potential (inventiveness, vision, and adaptability).
I would like to point out that this initiative is by no means a ranking in order of merit, but rather a recognition in alphabetical order. NaoleMedia40 intends to become an annual tradition. If we were to take stock of the women who hold positions in communication and media in Africa… In your opinion, are they able to attain positions of responsibility?
In recent years, there has been a real increase in the number of women working in communications and media professions, particularly in the private sector. Several of them run well-established communications firms or agencies, while others hold senior positions in companies and institutions. This is the case for leading professionals such as Marie Seynabou Dia, Chantal Njimbere, Olivia Nloga, Annie Mutamba, Salematou Sako, Khadija Idrissi Janati, and Anna Toure. Of course, there is still a long way to go to achieve greater representation of women in positions of responsibility, but I am pleased to see that several of them are paving the way for future generations. I am optimistic. There is often talk of the under-representation of women in the African media, or of unfair representation. What is your opinion on this?
In my opinion, more and more women are making their mark through their talents, skills, and expertise in the African media. This is particularly true with the development of privately-owned media on the continent. Pioneers such as Denise Epoté (Cameroon), Annette Mbaye d'Erneville (Senegal), and Djamila Debèche (Algeria) have paved the way and contributed enormously to the advancement of women in the African media by becoming pioneers in journalism in their respective countries.
In the pan-African media, the leading figures are generally women, whether at TV5 Monde Afrique with Lise-Laure Etia and Dominique Tchimbakala, or on Life TV with the star presenters of the program "LiFe Weekend."
How can
we
contribute to change so that the media world becomes more inclusive?
In my opinion, to make the media world more inclusive, we need to continue to highlight professionals who inspire and impact others through their actions in their professions. This is what we strive to do every month through our mini-magazine "Têtes d'affiche," the documents we produce with the participation of experts, and the annual NaoleMedia40
list.
In addition, we need to tell stories, create storytelling around these leading figures, and give a voice to seasoned professionals with equal speaking time. As players in the information and communication sector, we must continue to reach out to young people, train them, support them, pass on values such as fairness, and give them spaces to express themselves. All of this will undoubtedly contribute to bringing about change.