ISCOM Students Complete Research on WebTV and Digital Media Transformation in Burkina Faso

Ouagadougou – Students Hanifa Koussoubé and Serge Ika Ki from the Higher Institute of Communication and Multimedia (ISCOM) secured their bachelor’s degrees in digital journalism on Monday. They did so by successfully defending their research projects focused on the digital transformation of media and the role of webTV in Burkina Faso.

According to a new release by Burkina Information Agency the defenses took place on Monday, October 23, 2023, at their campus in Ouagadougou.

Hanifa Koussoubé’s research, titled “Analysis of the editorial model of Burkinabè webTV: case of LeFaso TV and Boima TV,” aimed to understand the strategies these platforms employ to attract and retain viewers. Koussoubé started from the observation that online video content is increasingly capturing the interest of Internet users. She suggested that these webTV platforms could improve by producing more content that is innovative in both quality and quantity. She was awarded a score of 16/20 by the jury chaired by Dr. Cyriaque Paré.

Before Koussoubé, Serge Ika Ki defended his work on “The digital transformation of Burkinabè media: the case of RTB Télé and the daily Sidwaya.” According to Ki, these two public media outlets have ample material, financial, and human resources to make the digital transition, as evidenced by their creation of web editorials and mobile applications. However, he pointed out that they still lack in areas such as multimedia integration and profitability, recording very few charged reports and advertisements. Ki received a score of 15/20, along with feedback on areas for improvement.

Dr. Cyriaque Paré, the president of the jury and founder of ISCOM, commended the thoroughness of both research projects. He said these would allow media practitioners and professionals to question and potentially improve their operations. Paré also urged media organizations to offer researchers the necessary information to support scientific analyses.

ISCOM, founded in 2018, offers degree programs in digital organizational communication, digital advertising creation, and digital journalism.