Podcast

Research that becomes conversation. Conversation that drives change.

The Meridian17 podcast brings together researchers, policymakers, journalists and business leaders for in-depth conversations on Africa-Europe partnership. Each series focuses on a specific dimension of the relationship - starting with the state of journalism across the continent.

Series 1

Cover image coming soon

Coming soon

Journalism in Africa: press freedom, economics, and the European gaze

10 episodes · Bi-weekly · English with French and Arabic captions

African journalism is at a crossroads. Press freedom is under pressure across the continent, the economics of the industry are shifting rapidly, and the way European media portrays Africa continues to shape perceptions on both sides. This series examines all of it - frankly, with the people who know it best.

Each episode is structured around a brief framing segment, an in-depth interview, a practical toolbox segment, and a signals and calls-to-action close. The series concludes with an end-of-season report distributed to relevant professional networks.

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Episodes coming soon

We are currently in production. Subscribe to our newsletter to be notified when the first episode drops, or follow us on LinkedIn for updates.

Our host

Georja Calvin-Smith

Lead anchor, France 24 Eye on Africa

Georja is a Paris-based journalist, event moderator and TV news presenter with over two decades of experience in international current affairs broadcasting. She currently produces and anchors the daily Eye on Africa bulletin at France 24 and presents the weekly Across Africa magazine show. She regularly chairs panels for institutions including the African Development Bank and the OECD's Africa Forum.

Her deep familiarity with the issues at the heart of Meridian17's research agenda makes her uniquely positioned to translate complex policy and business topics into accessible, engaging conversations.

About the podcast

More than a podcast. A research ecosystem.

The Meridian17 podcast is not a standalone product. It sits at the centre of our dissemination strategy, designed to translate research outputs into accessible, engaging content and distribute them at scale across both continents.

Research findings generate podcast conversations. Podcast conversations generate new research questions and connections. The ecosystem is designed to be self-reinforcing over time, with a growing audience and a progressively expanding network of contributors and followers.

Future series

This is just the beginning.

The journalism series is the first of many. Future series will focus on other dimensions of the Africa-Europe business partnership - from investment and trade to culture, technology, and the policy frameworks that shape the relationship. Each series will be developed in partnership with relevant funders and institutional partners, and linked directly to Meridian17's ongoing research programme.

If you are interested in partnering on a future series, we would like to hear from you.