Following deliberations by the jury, which included Pauline Ades-Mevel, editor-in-chief (RSF), Edith Brou, blogger and ICT influencer in Côte d'Ivoire, and Christophe Champin, deputy director of new media (RFI), three winners were announced at the 5th Francophone Media Innovation Awards on November 18.
Initiated by the OIF, RSF, and RFI, this competition rewards innovation in content, usage, and economic and organizational models that contribute to strengthening press freedom and the public's right to information. It is open to all media outlets (radio, television, print, and digital) in the 58 member states and governments of La Francophonie that have developed innovative offerings that take into account new modes of consumption and access to information.
Congo Check, a fact-checking media outlet based in the DRC, won first prize in this fifth edition (€10,000). Created in 2018, Congo Check is run by young journalists from the DRC and produces articles verifying facts reported by the media, leaders, other public figures, and internet users. The teams also train local media outlets in best practices for verifying information in order to curb the phenomenon of disinformation.
The second prize (€6,500) was awarded to "La Maison des Reporters" in Senegal, an independent news website that produces audiovisual reports on social issues in Senegal.
Finally, the third prize (€3,500) was awarded to "Haïti Climat" (Haiti), a website dedicated to environmental issues and best practices in ecology and smart agriculture.
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