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Hello Priscilla , Flashmag is delighted to have you on board for an interview that will help us get to know you better as a media woman . You ’ ve spent years interviewing the great figures of our time . Today , you ’ re in the interviewee ’ s seat . Does this seem strange to you ?
Priscilla Wolmer : Being in the interviewee ’ s seat is a different experience , but not necessarily a strange one .
Flashmag : What brought you to the media ?
Priscilla Wolmer : A Bachelor ’ s degree in Information and Communication , followed by a Master ’ s specialized in Media and Digital Management at SciencesPo Paris , then an MBA in Web Marketing and Digital Communication . My career then took me to Endemol , then M6 ( Studio 89 ), where I scouted talent for reality TV shows . This immersion in the world of entertainment soon made me realize that it wasn ’ t my true calling . I aspired to something bigger , something more impactful : a career in which information would take center stage , rather than one in which the social misery of candidates dreaming of becoming “ stars ” was exploited .
Flashmag : Did you follow an atypical career path or was it just a twist of fate ?
Priscilla Wolmer : You could say it ’ s a mixture of the two . My career path was built up gradually , guided by my curiosity and my desire to understand the workings of the media from different angles . It wasn ’ t a stroke of fate in the strict sense of the word , but rather a growing awareness as I gained experience . Each step has given me valuable skills and enabled me to refine my vision . In the end , it ’ s this diversity of experience that has led me to where I am today .
Flashmag : As a child , did you ever think of a career in the media ? Priscilla Wolmer : As a child , I didn ’ t necessarily have a career in the media in mind , but I already knew that I wanted to be a voice , a way of sharing ideas and contributing to wider thinking . This quote from George Orwell resonates deeply with me , as it captures the essence of what drew me to journalism and the media : “ the freedom to say what needs to be said , even when it ’ s not what you want to hear .”
The media have the power to shake things up , to make people think , and sometimes to disturb . I ’ ve always been fascinated by this ability to tackle subjects that are sometimes uncomfortable , but necessary to move society forward . That ’ s what drew me to this profession , with the conviction that information should be a tool for freedom , not a means of comfort .
Flashmag : Can you tell us a little about your background and what prompted you to get involved in media creation and communication between Europe , Africa and the Caribbean ?
Priscilla Wolmer : After my experience at M6 , where I was surrounded by mostly young people from a white elite , I quickly realized that my place at the end of the corridor perfectly reflected the place given to black , Arab and mixed-race people in French and European society . This reality deeply disturbed me , and I decided it was time to do things differently .
Flashmag : Why did you think it was important to create your own media instead of working for others ?
Priscilla Wolmer : In 2009 , I founded AFRICA DIG- ITAL POWER , an agency that reflects me and my vision of a more inclusive world . Since last year , my Nigerian partner Anne Welsh , based in London , has joined me in this adventure . Together , we built a platform dedicated to communication between Europe , Africa and the Caribbean . Then , in 2012 , after covering the 17th African Union Summit , whose theme was “ Accelerating Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development ”, I became aware of the urgent need to create a media space capable of giving a voice to under-represented populations . This summit , chaired by Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mbasogo , then current Chairman of the AU and Head of State of Equatorial Guinea , marked a turning point : it symbolized the determination of African leaders to strengthen the participation of young people in the continent ’ s economic , social and political development . Inspired by this dynamic , I decided to launch my own media , initially under the name AFRICA 54 , before it became 54 STATES . The speech given by President Obiang , one of the continent ’ s last great pan-Africanists , was extremely powerful .
Flashmag ! Issue 158 March 2025
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