SECTOR 3 3.2 Broadcasting is regulated by an independent body that is adequately protected by law against interference and whose board is not dominated by any particular political party and is appointed – in an open way - involving civil society and not dominated by any particular political party. As an independent body, the HAAC has 9 members, in accordance with Article 16 of the Organic Law 92-021 of 21 August 1992. The professional media associations, the National Assembly and the President of the Republic appoint three members respectively. The chairperson is also appointed by the Head of State. The HAAC is not sufficiently protected against interference. In the instance where the President of the Republic and the Bureau of the National Assembly appoint 6 of the 9 members, political interference is practically inevitable; it is in the nature of a politician to control everything in order to legislate in his favour. In the composition of the body for the 5-year term of office starting this year, the spouse of the President of the Constitutional Court was appointed. The Head of State himself recently demanded in a live broadcast on national television that the programme be taken off the air. During the election of the Bureau of the HAAC in July 2014, he had also given the members voting instructions. With each new term of office, professional journalist associations are accused of wanting to exercise control over HAAC. However, the members appointed during the previous mandate were for the most part journalists, but their work was of inferior quality, according to the panel. According to a member of the panel, interference is noticeable in the composition of the members of the HAAC only when a particular party predominates. 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: 2.2 (2007=4.7; 2009=3.6; 2011=3.5) AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER BENIN 2014 91