A new medium for independent information. This is the ambition of Sioka or Common Network of Citizens for quality information. Initiated by the Malagasy civil society movement Rohy, Sioka wishes to be closer to citizens and bring ” a credible, objective and transparent source of information “, whereas ” the media environment is mostly politicized ” in the Big Island, explain the founders of the media.
With our correspondent in Antananarivo, Laetitia Bezain
A project born from an observation: the limited space for independent speech on the Big Island. Harijaona Andriamoraniaina is the manager of Sioka and technical coordinator of the Rohy movement.
We all know that most of the media in Madagascar belong to political parties or have political leanings or belong to large private groups which, for us, rather protect the interests of these parties, these political leanings or these private companies than really provide reliable information to citizens. So the Sioka media is a way for us to provide citizens with verified and reliable information that will contribute to their interests, that is to say allow them to have the information to make good decisions and participate in life. of the nation, especially with regard to the promotion of democracy, good governance and the development of the country.
Information site, web TV, radio online and on the airwaves and soon paper press, Sioka, which publishes and broadcasts in Malagasy and French, wishes to reach as many inhabitants as possible. Platforms open to everyone: ordinary citizens, young people, women, unions, churches, the private sector and politicians of all stripes, underlines Lily Razafimbelo, the publication director.
All subjects will be covered, whether in the field of health, fundamental rights, education, land, the environment and then also the elections which will take place in 2023 and that is good because it will really allow us to have another vision of these elections which are going to come. It’s really a local media. There are going to be programs which are going to go into the field and give the inhabitants of the neighborhoods the possibility of expressing themselves, of sharing their life, their needs and their wishes for development in this country. Sioka is not the property of the Rohy movement, it is really a media space that belongs to everyone, to the entire population of Madagascar. We really hope it will bring something new, a breath of fresh air, freedom of expression and opinion in Madagascar.
A media financed by civil society and by the Fanainga support program which brings together four donors, in particular the European Union.