Journalism - SENEGAL Project Information for Journalism in Senegal

Our Journalism Placements in Senegal

Projects Abroad offer three very exciting journalism placements in the city of St Louis in Senegal. All three placements are at radio stations where volunteers are eagerly welcomed and encouraged to get as involved as they want. At all placements volunteers work for at least 25 hours per week starting each day at 9am.

Radio FM Téranga

FM Teranga was the first independent radio station in St Louis and has a reputation for being innovative, interesting and professional. The station has long-standing experience of hosting volunteers, organising work experience for Senegalese interns as well as Projects Abroad volunteers. You will generally start work at around 9am and finish by mid-afternoon, depending on exactly what the day's activities are. Typical activities that you will be involved in include researching, writing and presenting news bulletins, helping with studio production, and co-presenting music and entertainment programmes. You will have the opportunity to help with outside broadcasts, although these are often during evenings and weekends - for instance, covering football matches or religious/national celebrations. Your colleagues at Teranga will be very keen for you to broadcast, providing your French is of a high enough standard. However, if you feel uncomfortable doing this straight away they will be happy for you to focus on behind-the-scenes tasks and will give you plenty of support to build up your skills and become part of the team.

Radio Dunyaa

Radio Dunyaa has plenty of past experience of hosting interns, although at the moment they are only working with Projects Abroad volunteers. They are keen to involve you as much as possible, especially in broadcasting, but will not push you to do anything you are not comfortable with. Flexibility and willingness on both sides are the keys to a successful placement. You will usually get to work for about 9am, in time to prepare the 10 o'clock news bulletin. The station produces a wide range of programmes, from music, current affairs, religious, sport and phone-ins, and you will decide with your supervisor what you would most like to be involved in and in what capacity - i.e. research, presenting, etc. Many of the afternoon programmes are in Wolof so most of your work will be in the mornings. You will spend your first week or two settling in, seeing how things work and building up your skills, gradually becoming more involved in programme making. Your supervisor will encourage you to get a good overview of all areas of the work, but would like you to focus mainly on one particular role. There may be some work on evenings and weekends.

Radio Télévision Sénégal (RTS)

The staff of state broadcaster RTS are keen to involve you as much as possible, especially in broadcasting, but will not push you to do anything you are not comfortable with. Flexibility and willingness on both sides are key to a successful placement. You will generally start work at around 9am and finish by mid-afternoon, depending on exactly what the day's activities are. Typical activities that you will be involved in include researching, writing and presenting news bulletins, helping with studio production, and co-presenting music and entertainment programmes. You will have the opportunity to help with outside broadcasts, although these are often during evenings and weekends - for instance conferences, religious celebrations or sport events. You will spend your first week or two settling in, seeing how things work and building up your skills, gradually becoming more involved in programme making. Your supervisor will encourage you to get a good overview of all areas of the work, but would like you to focus mainly on one particular role. There may be some work on evenings and weekends.

These projects offer you a fantastic opportunity to gain experience of radio journalism, while simultaneously improving your French skills, not to mention your CV!