SECTOR 2 2.4 The editorial independence of print media published by a public authority is protected adequately against undue political interference. This indicator does not apply. Madagascar does not have any state 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: n/a (2006 = 1.4; 2008 = no score) 2.5 Adequate competition legislation/regulation seeks to prevent media concentration and monopolies. There is no anti-monopoly law or regulatory system to restrict media concentration. A certain degree of concentration has developed over time, with only a limited number of media groups operating in the market. However, none of these groups has a monopoly. No complaints have been raised in this regard so far, but this kind of media concentration is bound to affect the existence of “small-scale media”, newspapers in particular, and limit healthy competition. Owners of media houses gather very diverse outlets under the umbrella of their respective companies. Such concentration may be vertical, in the sense that it includes a radio and a television station as well as a newspaper and/or online media, as in the case of media group Express. Or it may be a horizontal, grouping together a number of different print media, as in the case of the Ultima Media Group. This kind of media concentration may lead to a corresponding concentration of political power – a point of concern particularly in periods of crisis. A media group belonging or affiliated to a political faction will be able to mobilise AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER MADAGASCAR 2010 91