1.12 Media legislation evolves from meaningful consultations among state institutions, citizens and interest groups. The Media Act 2004-643 and the Broadcasting Act 2004-644 are the results of a long process that commenced in 1992 at the onset of the “media springtime” following the democratic transition in 1990. As soon as the 1991 Media Act, considered liberticidal by journalists, entered into force, media stakeholders under the leadership of UNJCI (National Union of Journalists in Ivory Coast) and their partners embarked on a challenging fight to amend the said law. From conflict to consultation, heavy sentences to reassuring gestures of appeasement, the agenda of the journalists overlapped with the political commitment of President Laurent Gbagbo who during his opposition years had promised never to imprison a journalist for a violation of the Media Act. The Ivorian Head of State however clarified the reason behind this commitment during the opening ceremony of the RIARC 10th anniversary commemorations: “... you do not imprison journalists. When one is sent to jail, one comes out a hero. And I do not want to create heroes against me. I therefore do not imprison journalists, or my political adversaries for that matter. I would like to share this experience with other politicians in Africa and in the Third World”. Despite the undisputable progress noted in the 2004 Act compared to that of 1991 regarding, among others, the liberalization of the broadcasting landscape, the status of journalists, the status of media outlets, the regulation of the media, UNJCI “has reservations on certain provisions contrary to the spirit of the draft law. Particularly, with regard to the appointment of Executive Officers of state media outlets through a call for nomination to be issued by regulatory bodies as well as the status of the Director of Publications who should be a professional”. Moreover, the improvement of the legal, regulatory and institutional framework of the media is still given high priority in political agreements to settle the Ivorian crisis (Linas Marcoussis Agreements, Pretoria Agreements, Ouagadougou Agreements, etc...). 86 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER IVORY COAST 2009