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.
Information sources are accessible but not all affordable by citizens. The mobile
telephone is accessible but the Internet is still a luxury even within structures like
national radio which is not yet fully computerized. To access an Internet connection
in certain remote areas of the country, it is necessary to use a connection device.
The rate per hour to connect to the Internet is approximately 250 CFA francs (half
a US dollar) in a country where the legal minimum wage is 40,000 CFA francs
(90 US dollars). According to the “Rapport sur la liberté d’expression au Bénin”
(2014) (Report on freedom of expression in Benin), there are 495 Internet cafés
in the country.
The print press is concentrated between Cotonou, the economic capital, and
Port-Novo, the capital of the country. The price of a daily newspaper remains
relatively high: 300 CFA francs (0.60 US dollars), equivalent to the price of a
breakfast for the average citizen.
According to Article 1 of Decision No. 14-001/HAAC of 21 January 2014 on the
publication of newspapers and periodicals that have legal existence in Benin, there
are officially 78 dailies, 16 weeklies, 4 bi-weeklies, 6 monthlies and 4 bi-monthlies.
The panel was not able to provide a figure for the number of newspapers which
appear regularly. But the general view is that distribution is not effective since a
newspaper may take up to two days to be delivered in certain “départements”.
The ORTB (Benin Radio and Television Office) administers 5 public radio and
television services as of July 2014: two television channels, namely the national
television and the Bénin Business 24 channel; three radio stations based in
Cotonou, namely Radio Nationale and Radio Bénin Atlantique FM, as well as
Radio Parakou in the north of the country.
According to a survey conducted in 2014 as part of a study on public audiovisual
media in Africa “the present audiovisual landscape in Benin is as follows: 19
commercial radio stations; 36 non-commercial radio stations, five of which belong
to a religious denomination; three international radio stations; five conventional
television stations; three television channels broadcast via MMDS; seven radio
stations with more than a single frequency”.

78

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER BENIN 2014

Select target paragraph3