The Imongo Vaovao polling newspaper celebrates its 55th birthday

Imongo Vaoavao is, nowadays, a small gun among the polling newspapers with quite a restricted audience. Its readers are linked by a particular political ideology: Independence, peace, nationalism, communism, national sovereignty… The newspaper has rather been serving as a faraway ideological propaganda supporter, than as a genuine political party’s communication base.  

Gisèle Rabesahala, the single survivor of Imongo Vaovao’s first ever editorial team underlined the press’ relevance within the country’s history. « A newspaper is a lever for change in Madagascar « , it says. The AKFM KDRSM leader willingly claims the media group’s militancy that has been transcending the party’s ideology. « Every media group is buyous », she concluded.  

Eric Rakotomanga, Imongo Vaovao’s editorial director, as so willingly recognized the hardship of making a living as a small scale polling newspaper against the big gun commercially oriented contenders. « The game is far from fair, since some groups are well sponsored », he explained. The gap is visible early from the production up to the distribution processes.  

In 55 years, Imongo Vaovao had to face up to thirty complaints. This newspaper underwent prohibition when jail sentences were a honor for a Malagasy journalist charged with press offense. Imongo Vaovao owes his name to the patriot Jean Ralaimongo. Eric Rakotomanga argued that the struggle for Madagascar’s genuine independence is still on. Basically a daily newspaper in its earliest years, Imongo Vaovao is now a weekly one.