SECTOR 2

In practice, the panel participants unanimously recognise that the practice of
nominees exists in several known cases: Siweul, Océan FM, Le Pays, Première
Ligne, etc. However, they point out that it is difficult to furnish proof of the
existence of this practice. As one of the panel members said, “Before, it was
flagrantly obvious from the content; now, it is more subtle”.
Nevertheless, one of the panellists find it worrying that about ten newspapers did
not survive the transition from the previous government to the present regime
on 25 March 2013, following the presidential election. These newspapers closed
the same evening, when their printer –Tandian Printers – refused to print them
before being paid “cash on the nail”. Another panellist recalled however that
the practice dates back before these last few years. Every time the elections draw
near, newspapers are created by political players, “and that goes back a long
way,” he stated.

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:

2.1 (2010:n/a; 2008:n/a; 2006:n/a)

2.5 Adequate competition legislation/regulation seeks
to prevent media concentration and monopolies.
The members of the panel confirm that, in the interests of transparency, the
Senegalese legislator has prohibited all forms of concentration – be it horizontal
or vertical – or nominee in the media sector.
Law 96-04 leaves no room for doubt on the subject: “no natural or legal person
of Senegalese nationality may own or become a majority shareholder of more
than three organs of social communication. Natural or legal persons of foreign
nationality may own or be majority shareholders of only one organ of social
communication”.13

13 Article 4, Section 1 (Of ownership).

90

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER SENEGAL 2013

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