SECTOR 3 he 20 billion CFA project for the extension of nation-wide coverage which should have solved the problem of reception has unfortunately been bedeviled by ineiciencies in recruitment. 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: 2.7 (2007=2.6 ; 2009=2.8) 3.9 The state/public broadcaster offers diverse programming formats for all interests. he panelists do not agree with TV not having programs. ORTB broadcasts in an unpredictable manner, with very frequent changes unlike radio. Nevertheless, ORTB programming has lost its relevance in recent times. Most people in the country feel that the station does cater for the average person as all their programs seem to target the elite in Cotonou and those in power. Some efort has been made to organize debates that allow for dissenting views and criticisms, an example being the program that was aired recently on the evaluation of imports. Apart from the oicials, various stakeholders in national life have had the opportunity to express their views which have been sometimes very critical of the way things are going. A recent survey rated ORTB as the television with the widest national coverage but in Cotonou all the other private TV stations have a larger audience than public television. For many reasons, the programs that ORTB broadcasts do not provide a fair representation of all the interests of the nation’s socio-professional groups. his is partly due to insuicient funding since there are no available funds for production; and partly due to the priority given to politicians and political information over news on socio-professional issues. Indeed, the diference between TV and radio is that those who run the programs on public radio are mostly young people who are active and well updated on their target audience accross the spectrum, their expectations in terms of issues to be discussed and what their target considers as entertainment. his is not true of public TV, where the pattern of programs is along a monotonous line and this causes citizens to rent private TV antennas at 110 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER BENIN 2011