SECTOR 2

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:

1.9 (2010:2.1; 2008:n/a; 2006:n/a)

2.8 All media fairly reflect the voices of society in its
ethnic, linguistic, religious, political and social diversity.
Taken as a whole, the three sectors (three tiers) of the media landscape (public,
private commercial and private community) effectively account for the variety of
opinions as well as the diversity of cultures, languages and social, religious or
other groups.
In a case by case analysis, the media discharge that responsibility more or less
adequately. The panel noted, in this regard, the real efforts made by the RTS (public
channel) to reflect the diversity of society, especially radio. Indeed, Senegalese
radio-television has an obligation in this respect,15 within the framework of its
mission as a public service, explained a member of the panel; “that is its job”.
And even then, the public broadcaster is forced to limit itself to the eight codified
national languages.
In the private sector, the obligations to provide a minimum of public service and
reflection of diversity are nonetheless strict.16 But in the present case, a panellist
believes it would be more appropriate to speak of equality of treatment for the
different cultural expressions. The reason for this is that private commercial radio
and television stations operate within a rationale of competing for shares of the
advertising market and audience ratings, which hardly favours the production of
programmes on and for minorities.
15 Article 2, Law no. 92-02 of 6 January 1992 establishing the national corporation RTS
http://www.jo.gouv.sn/spip.php?article2534/ http://www.panos-ao.org/ipao/IMG/pdf/SENEGAL.pdf
16 Conditions for the operation of private commercial radio stations and associative radio stations
http://www.panos-ao.org/ipao/spip.php?article3068&lang=fr

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER SENEGAL 2013

93

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