Mémona Hintermann-Afféjee

Biography

Born in 1952 in Réunion, Mémona Hintermann-Afféjee is a journalist, author and leading figure of Réunionese representation in the French national media. After cutting her teeth at France 3 Réunion, she moved to national television, joining TF1 and then LCI and becoming one of the first Black journalists in French national broadcasting, a remarkable path in a media landscape that had long been very homogeneous.

Her autobiography “Fille de Réunion” (Daughter of Réunion, 2009) tells of her childhood in Réunion and her relationship with identity, the Creole language and the way mainland France sees its overseas territories. This personal account touches on universal questions: belonging, uprooting and building a self between two worlds. She is also committed to pluralism in the media and to the representation of France's overseas territories in the national media. Her career shows how Réunionese women have helped change the face of French journalism.

Contribution

A pioneer of Réunionese presence and diversity in French national broadcasting (TF1, LCI); author of “Fille de Réunion” (2009).

Legacy

A reference figure for the representation of France's overseas territories in the national media; her career inspires new generations of Réunionese journalists.