Different perspectives on the journalism profession: Quentin and May, between Belgium and Senegal

Just under a year ago, Quentin and May didn’t know each other yet, but they were about to embark on an experience that would challenge their professional certainties.

Quentin, a Master’s student in Press and Information, flew to Senegal, whilst May, a journalist at Radio Oxyjeunes, settled in Brussels.

Supported by ARES, these exchanges allowed them to compare two approaches to journalism: that of Belgian audiences and that of the editorial team in Pikine.

Learning to ‘take your time’ at RTC

As part of the ARES travel grant scheme, Quentin had the opportunity to undertake a three-month placement in Senegal, where he joined Radio Télévision Communautaire (RTC) in Pikine, an organisation comprising 133 local media outlets. Far from the frantic news cycle familiar in Europe, he discovered a more relaxed pace there. “We rush around less, but the quality doesn’t suffer,” he confided on his return. At RTC, topics are chosen without haste, often at the end of the day, to prioritise issues that most closely affect the communities: fish shortages, food insecurity or personal stories.

Nevertheless, this placement presented a real technical challenge for Quentin. With no network of contacts and facing a partial language barrier, he had to learn to fend for himself in the field. His return culminated in the production of a magazine entirely created using a smartphone, proving that a minimalist approach does not preclude high-quality production.

May’s immersion in Brussels

At the same time, May was discovering IHECS and life in Belgium. Whilst the first few days were spent finding her bearings in a city where the streets sometimes looked all too similar, she was quickly welcomed by the students. “I felt they treated us as equals, without judgement,” she recalls.

Beyond the hospitality and sense of security she particularly appreciated in Brussels, May used this semester to strengthen her skills and knowledge in journalism. Between courses in narratology and print journalism workshops led by Wilson Fache, she discovered formats such as the embodied podcast and the digital carousel – tools she hoped to bring back to her newsroom in Senegal to modernise news reporting.

What remains today

A year on, the impact of these mobility experiences still resonates. May returned with the conviction that journalism is a universal profession open to all. Quentin, for his part, realised that a journalist’s role is inseparable from their context: what is a priority in Brussels is not necessarily so in Pikine, and vice versa.

These two journeys illustrate just how much international mobility is a real catalyst for learning: it allows one to compare practices, break down prejudices and refine one’s professional approach.