SECTOR 2 Members of the panel explain that only a few large media groups exist in Côte d’Ivoire, such as the Groupe Olympe, which owns three newspapers, Inter, Soir Info, Star Magazine, and the Cyclone Group, which also publishes three newspapers. As for the broadcast media, private televisions are not to be found among the conventional airwaves. They are only accessible via satellite. The State therefore has no legal monopoly but in actual fact, it owns various media. 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: 2.3 (2009: 1.5) 2.6 Government promotes a diverse media landscape with economically sustainable and independent media outlets. The panel recognises that the law on communication favours a diversified media landscape since it stipulates broadcasting to be based on calls for tender and that it promotes the “pluralism of socio-cultural currents of thoughts”. The panel’s opinions, however, remain divided on the State’s ‘active and voluntary action’ regarding the continued economic existence of the press. Some consider that the introduction of the system of ‘differentiated’ licence fees is an example of active and voluntary action from the side of the State. As a result, community radio stations are exempted from licence fees, whereas commercial radios (RFI, BBC) get taxed. The Ivorian government equally applies the Florence Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific and Cultural Materials, which means the press does not need to pay custom duties nor import duties on the cost of paper. The GEPCI (Association of Newspaper Publishers of Côte d’Ivoire) has been 86 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER COTE D’IVOIRE 2012