SECTOR 2

The media landscape, including new
media, is characterised by diversity,
independence and sustainability.
2.1 A wide range of sources of information (print,
broadcasting, internet, mobile phones) is accessible
and affordable to citizens.
Côte d’Ivoire’s media landscape offers a rich array, in its extent as much as its
diversity. There are a total of 150 community radio stations, one national radio
station and two private ones (JamFM and Nostalgie), as well as a few international
radio stations (BBC, RFI) for a population of about 22 million inhabitants. Print
media lists 21 dailies and around 40 weeklies. The airwaves offer two national
channels, RTI and TV2, but a growing number of households is busy acquiring
satellite dishes, thus accessing various international bouquets.
The media obviously remain more available in urban than in rural areas. During
the time of the electoral crisis in 2011, broadcasting suffered numerous material
losses. The nation-wide radio and TV coverage declined from 75-80% before the
crisis to 30-40% after the crisis, leaving various regions literally disconnected.
Efforts are currently underway to restore the national network but this will take
some time.
At present, the Internet is considerably democratised in the cities. It costs 100
CFA for 30 minutes in an Internet café (approximately €0.15) and a monthly
subscription amounts to 19,000 CFA (€29). An individual laptop Internet stick
costs between 1,000 and 2,000 CFA (around €1.50 and €3). In rural areas,
Internet access, when available at all, is restricted to certain public places such as
hospitals. These kinds of arrangements limit the access times for the public, who
are only able to connect late in the day.
Legal requirements for the distribution of the Ivorian print media, as set down
through Law no. 2004-643 prohibit the informal distribution of newspapers.
Edipresse, a private company, is the exclusive distributor for newspapers in
Côte d’Ivoire. According to the panellists, this situation affects the expansion of
national distribution negatively. The panel made it known that a study by the
GEPCI (Association of Newspaper Publishers of Côte d’Ivoire) is being conducted.
In addition to the legal obstacles posed to distribution, the quality of the road
network in certain parts of the country (such as the mountaineous areas) represents
an additional, significant challenge. The panellists describe how the delays in the
delivery of newspapers in the prefecture of Nassian (north of the country) have

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AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER COTE D’IVOIRE 2012

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