SECTOR 1 1.11 Civil society in general and media lobby groups actively advance the cause of media freedom. The media is indeed on the agenda of civil society organisations. However, this civil society is relatively politicized and does not male concerted efforts to defend press freedom. This said, the support of the civil society movement to the Ivorian media does certainly not meet the expectations of the latter. Support often consists of declarations and press releases more or less relayed by the media (more by the private media than the public media). One of the panel members therefore said that “…it is not that the civil society does not react. Their declarations are not heard because they are not communicated accordingly”. “…it is not that the civil society does not react. Their declarations are not heard because they are not communicated accordingly” The civil society movement is more inclined to mobilize for fair and equal access of citizens to state media. This situation is partly due to the profound division of the civil society, like the Ivorian society in general, between political and socio-cultural interests that are at opposite extremes. In the words of certain civil society actors participating in the panel “…at a certain moment, we all became partisans”. The position of civil society organisations vis-à-vis the media hence reflected their political affiliation. Even within media lobby groups, support to media outlets ...“at a certain and media professionals in trouble is not systematic. In moment, we all 2004 for instance, during the attacks on newsstands selling certain newspapers exposed to public condemnation “nobecame partisans” one took offense at the dictatorship of this doctrine”. 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: 1.8 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER IVORY COAST 2009 85