K Radio Seychelles Online

[Gano Richardson]

Seychelles News Agency) - A team of enthusiastic Seychellois living in the UK recently launched an online radio station aimed at connecting the world to Seychelles by promoting Creole music and having island beats heard around the globe.

The key players entertaining on the new platform are among the founding members, Pierre Labiche and Rudy Gendron, each having a background in entertainment. Labiche has over 30 years of music experience whereas Gendron has worked as a DJ on a number of radio stations.

Starting with music from Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, the team intends to play sounds from neighbouring islands in the Indian Ocean as he venture grows. Aside from a wide selection of Creole music, the non-profit broadcaster website also offers a range of promotional and advertising opportunities for sponsors.

The Seychelles News Agency is tasked with the mission to create awareness of the Seychelles and its people in the global community, and position Seychelles regionally and internationally as a Small Island Developing State with a unique experience of social, economic and cultural development.

The Seychelles News Agency will have a website with an online text and photo news service in English and French which will be set up and managed by two co-Editors, Rassin Vannier and Sharon Uranie, who are professional Seychellois journalists with extensive experience in Seychelles news reporting and international news writing.

They will be working with freelance journalists in Seychelles and the Indian Ocean region to provide the latest news and information on Seychelles to world with the aim of becoming the leader in Seychelles online news distribution and cultural diplomacy.

The project was initiated by the Honorary Consul for Seychelles in Bulgaria, Mr. Maxim Behar, who owns and manages a leading PR and Social Media corporation M3 Communications Group, Inc. He presented the idea to President James Michel and offered to make the concept and software development a donation to the Seychelles, during his visit to Seychelles in November 2013. The Seychelles News Agency Co-Editors and M3 Communications Group are currently developing the project, which is expected to be completed by April.

Rassin Vannier is Co-Editor of the Seychelles News Agency.Vannier has twenty years experience as a journalist in print press,television and radio reporting. He started his first journalism jobat the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation in 1994 as a juniorjournalist, where he progressed over the years to become a seniorjournalist as well as editor of the 8pm Creole television newscast.In 2006 he became a correspondent for the RFO Runion (nowRunion Premiere).

In 2008, he joined the office of the Mayor of Victoria as Director of Operations, and continued reporting for RFO, as well as additionally in 2011 becoming the Seychelles correspondent for Agence France-Presse, which he continues today.Vannier has produced TV documentaries for the SBC, TV5 Monde,and Espace Francophone.

Sharon Uranie is Co-Editor of the Seychelles News Agency.Well-known in Seychelles since 2009 as one of the principal newsanchors of the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation TV. Uranie started her career at the SBC as a junior journalist in 2005.She worked her way up to the post of senior journalist, becomingprincipal editor/Deputy-Chief Editor of the SBC News in 2012.

The Seychelles country population is 98,000 and currently there are 10 active media outlets - both state owned and private functioning in the country. Over the past three years, four weekly political papers have ceased publication.

Seychelles is ranked 13th in the 2022 Reporter Without Borders' World Press Freedom Index, moving up 39 places compared to 2021. The country has for the past 20 years not had any journalists, media assistants or citizen journalists killed or imprisoned.

There are four publications comprising of two dailies, two weeklies and others that are published fortnightly, monthly, quarterly and bi-annually. The State owns one of the daily newspapers, Seychelles Nation and a private publisher is the proprietor of Today in Seychelles. One of the weekly newspapers, The People is owned by the opposition party, Parti Lepep (The People's Party). There is only one other other weekly, namely The Independent which is closely linked to the Seychelles Labour Union.

The Seychelles News Agency which was launched on the 22nd of April 2014, operates on an online platform and provides national news for a global audience. Le Seychellois Hebdo has ceased physical publication but operates through its Facebook page.

The country currently has two private radio stations. Pure907 (previosuly Pure FM) began its operations in August 2012 and broadcasts music programmes and advertisements. K-Radio began its operations in January 2018. Both stations broadcast music programmes, sports news and entertainment as well as advertisements.

There has been a significant increase in the use of social media due to improved internet connectivity and penetration following the installation of the undersea optic-fibre cable that connects the main island of Mah to the rest of the world. The polarisation of the media has encouraged the use of social media for political discourse and as a source of information.

An increase in media outlets has surpassed the national capacity of qualified practicing journalists. Some media houses have their own in-house training programme for working journalists and new recruits. However, aspiring journalists who are suitably qualified are awarded scholarships by the government for further education at tertiary level. Media practitioners also participate in various workshops or short term training that are held either locally or abroad.

The Right to Freedom of Expression is provided for in Article 22(1) under the Seychellois Charter of Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms in the Constitution of Seychelles. The conduct of the media is guided by the Seychelles Media Commission Code of Conduct, which was put in place following consultations with the industry and in line with Section 13(2) (c) of the Seychelles Media Commission Act 2010.

The media is free to publish and broadcast content that comply with guidelines, set out in the SMC Code of Conduct, the Constitution and other legal obligations that are in force in Seychelles, in respect of media freedom and expression.

K-Radio is launched, it the second private radio station in the Seychelles. It is a subsidiary company of Kreol Entertainment. It is a youth driven radio with a targeted audience of 19 to 34 years of age. It uses a more laid back and informal tone to address its targeted audience. K-Radio is an entertainment station both in the delivery of its content and types of music played, it is owned by Aubrey Philo and Travis Julienne.

Telesesel is launched. It is the first private televised channel in Seychelles. The channel is accessible only on Cable and Wireless IPTV Platform channel. It is managed by Radius Studio in collaboration with Cable and Wireless. It is the first of its kind to produce HD quality programmes which aims to educate, inform and entertain Seychellois audience. Telesesel is run by Clive Camille and Gilmer Philoe.

PureFm started broadcasting in August 2013. It was the first private commercial radio station to hit the airwaves featuring music, news, magazine styled programmes, entertainment and sports contents. The station played a large selection of 90s and 80s classic hits, some local music and also hit music from different eras. PureFM also uses live internet streaming via its website to reach listeners around the globe. The radio station's owner is Maldivian Ahmed Mahir Didi.

Public television was launched with Radio Television Seychelles (RTS) broadcasting from Hermitage on weekends from Friday to Sunday. RTS was run by the Ministry of Information as a Government station.

The Islander Weekly, a political newspaper was published in August of 2019 and simultaneously had a online version. Its editor was Mr. Herve Anthony. The paper was linked to the political party, One Seychelles. It ceased to be published in October of 2019.

Seychelles News Agency (E-media) is launched. It is funded by the Government of Seychelles. The digital media platform features articles written with a global audience in mind and it aims at creating awareness of the Seychelles and its people in the global community.

Les Seychellois Hebdo Newspaper was launched. It was owned by editors, Gervais Henrie & Lindy Vital. The weekly newspaper aligned itself with the opposition party, Seychelles National Party (SNP), with contributions made by the party leader. Le Seychellois Hebdo stopped publication during the last quarter of 2019, and has been posting articles on its Facebook page.

Today Newspaper, the first daily independent coloured newspaper. The paper is designed to cater for both national and international readers. The agency provides an independent and objective perspective without favouring any one section of the population over the other. Today newspaper has ceased to publish in paper form, and has gone digital. Subscribers have access to their daily copies online.

The Seychelles Nation moved to its new home at Laurier Road at Victoria on the 12th of March, with its new home it also acquired new state of the arts technology. By then the Seychelles Nation also published a weekend edition of 24 pages named the Seychelles Weekend Nation.

On the 25th of June, an independent weekly newspaper was launched under the name Weekend Life. Its owner was Mr Bernard Verlaque and its editor Mr. Gilbert Pool, a Seychellois journalist who had been practicing in the UK. Its publisher at the time was Mr Serge Pool. Its last publication was in 1979.

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