SECTOR 1 Furthermore, Ivory Coast has adopted all regional legal instruments, particularly those of the ECOWAS, concerning civil liberties and press freedom. Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country minimally meets aspects of the indicator. 3 Country meets many aspects of indicator but progress may be too recent to judge. 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator. 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator and has been doing so over time. Average score: 4.6 1.5 Print publications are not required to obtain permission to publish from state authorities. No prior authorization is required for the publishing of a newspaper or a written publication in Ivory Coast. A simple declaration is to be made: Article 6 of the Media Act stipulates: “prior to the publication of any newspaper or periodical, a declaration of publication shall be submitted to the Public Prosecutor in whose jurisdiction is located the headquarters of the newspaper or periodical. A copy of the declaration and subsequent amendments submitted to the Public Prosecutor shall be forwarded by the latter to the National Press Board within fifteen days”. “...to clean up the environment at a time when journalism had become an uncertain profession with the emergence of bogus media outlets” Article 7 of the same law states that “ the declaration of publication made in writing and signed by the director of publications is deposited with the Public Prosecutor. A receipt shall be issued within fifteen days. The refusal to issue a receipt must be justified. The Public Prosecutor shall send a copy of the receipt to the National Press Board within a period of fifteen days”. According to the declaration regime, the newspaper may be published at the expiry of the 15-day deadline, even where the receipt is yet to be issued. However, in this case, non-compliance with the administrative procedures at the Office of the Public Prosecutor prior to the publication of the newspaper may result in disciplinary action being taken by the CNP (National Press Board), which is the statutory regulatory organ for the print media: article 39 of the Media Act. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER IVORY COAST 2009 79