SECTOR 2 2.4 The editorial independence of print media published by a public authority is protected adequately against undue political interference. Fraternité Matin is the only state-owned daily. Its first editon goes back to 9 December 1964 and the newspaper has known much political interference during the course of its publishing experience. In its early days, the first president of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, Houphouët Boigny, would dictate the newspaper’s entire editorial line. More recently, during the last presidential elections, public authorities quickly seized the daily as a propaganda tool. The panellists outlined how during the first round, the editorial office conducted itself fairly professionally but from the second round on, all these efforts came to an end. One of the panellists was quick to point out: “I don’t see anything surprising in a State deciding on the editorial line of the paper it is the owner of!” This approach did apparently not please readers, who seem to have boycotted the newspaper – sales of the daily dramatically declined and the editorial team was forced to re-organise and re-launch the Fraternité Matin between 2000 and 2001 under the slogan “Neither neutral, nor partisan”. Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 1.4 (2009: 3.2) 2.5 Adequate competition legislation/regulation seeks to prevent media concentration and monopolies. Ivorian legislation makes no regulatory provision to limit or prevent the concentration of media ownership and monopolies. It even allows for a media company to publish as many titles as it wishes as long as it respects Law no. 2004-463, which states that “the publication of all newspapers and periodicals is allowed, as long as it abides by the conditions outlined in Article 6”: namely the classic administrative procedure declaration with the Attorney General. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER COTE D’IVOIRE 2012 85