At the end of 2016, we asked you about your channel project, and you described your channel as follows: "The main idea is to contribute to educating the population, strengthening democracy, and promoting Ivorian cultural diversity and multisectoral wealth." "
Ten months after the channel's launch, what is your initial assessment of this ambition and which programs are contributing to it?
After 10 months of operation, we can safely say that we have remained true to this promise. Freedom of expression, equal access and treatment of all political persuasions, balanced information, and pluralism are enshrined in our various magazines and news programs. In the absence of an audience measurement system agreed upon by all players in the national audiovisual ecosystem, the feedback recorded so far on Facebook and YouTube, supported by an opinion poll conducted by us, confirms our belief that expectations in this area are being amply met. NCI News
, NCI 360, NCI Reportages
and, more recently, Sans Réserve
are major programs produced by the editorial team, which are attracting new viewers with each episode and generating significant interest on internet platforms.
As for reflecting Ivorian cultural diversity, the daily infotainment program La Télé d'Ici,
broadcast in prime time, has quickly established itself as a showcase for promoting multisectoral skills around issues related to society, the economy, ICT, politics, health, and more. and talent discovery with its permanent live stage, which is unique in the West African sub-region.
How are you approaching the new 2020/2021 season? Will you continue in this direction? Will you devote more space to programs not directly related to Ivorian current affairs?
The NCI team is made up of young production professionals who have worked tirelessly to win the hearts of viewers in Côte d'Ivoire and beyond. It now understands the responsibility it has and intends to stay the course.
For this new season, in a few weeks we will be launching another innovative daily talk show, the content of which I will not reveal here for the moment. In a few weeks, we will produce and broadcast a major entertainment program that is unprecedented in the sub-regional audiovisual landscape. In addition, on Friday, September 25,
at 8:30 p.m.,
we will broadcast Drôles De Flops,
the first major blooper reel in the Ivorian audiovisual space. New magazines still under discussion or in the final stages of development will also be added to the schedule this year.
It should be noted that the fiction slot will be reinforced with the acquisition of successful African series, notably the Nigerian production Battleground
—broadcast exclusively since September 9—the
Senegalese production Dérapages
, and
the Cameroonian production Apple For 2,
to name but a few. I should add that a second season of the shortcom Madame Tonkpi & Compagnie
, featuring web comedian Yvidéro as a guest star, is scheduled to start in a few months, as well as the production of a high-quality, 100% Ivorian drama co-produced by NCI.
You have just announced the acquisition of the broadcasting rights for Battleground, a Nigerian series, previously unseen in Ivory Coast, which has been very successful. How will you schedule it?
Battleground
has been broadcast since September 9 every Wednesday at 8:30 p.m., with four episodes in a row. This will allow viewers to settle in comfortably for an engaging viewing experience. It is a family saga that combines intrigue, dirty tricks, rivalries, betrayal, and love. With 240 episodes, it will keep viewers on the edge of their seats throughout the season.
Music also plays an important role in your programming. What are your main programs on this theme?
Music rightly occupies a prominent place in our programming. Côte d'Ivoire has been and remains the hub of African music. Two key players in the global music industry have established their regional headquarters in Abidjan. That tells you how important music is in life here. It therefore makes sense to offer content that is partly or entirely music-based.
In addition to La Télé d'Ici
's live stage, which showcases talent from several generations, we also produce Nostalgie Fun Outdoor
, the ultimate platform for aspiring singers, broadcast every Saturday at 8:30 p.m. Nostatop
, the television version of the top 20 hits chart compiled by Radio Nostalgie, NCI's sister company. Finally, throughout the day, time slots are dedicated to music videos from the major genres here and abroad.
The health crisis has had an impact on media consumption, advertising revenue, and program scheduling. How has NCI weathered this turbulent period?
To be honest, in terms of production, NCI has not really been affected by the pandemic. I would even say that the workload increased tenfold, particularly in terms of information processing. We had to find the right and useful information in a context marked by the need to constantly communicate best practices and undermined by partial lockdown, public anxiety, and fake news.
On the other hand, the crisis forced us to refocus almost all of our topics on the pandemic and stop broadcasting programs with an audience.