SECTOR 1 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: 2.4 1.5 Print publications are not required to obtain permission to publish from state authorities. Gabonese law stipulates that the creation of a newspaper is subject to the deposition of a declaration. In its Article 96, the Code of Communication states that this declaration shall be made against a receipt from the Minister of Communication and the State Prosecutor. But in fact, the deposition of the declaration does not constitute a receipt, meaning that the receipt issued by the Minister is a sort of pre- approval. Indeed, the Minister in charge of Communication uses his prerogatives to issue the receipt as a means to control who can, and who cannot publish a newspaper. This has practical consequences. As an illustration, at least one weekly newspaper has struggled to transform itself into a daily newspaper. 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: 70 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER GABON 2016 2.7