SECTOR 2 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: 2.9 2.4 The editorial independence of print media published by a public authority is protected adequately against undue political interference In Ivory Coast, several print publications – daily newspapers or periodicals – are edited by political parties including the ruling FPI (Front Populaire Ivoirien) and the main opposition parties, particularly RDR (Rassemblement des Républicains) and PDCI (Parti Démocratique de Côte d’Ivoire). Others are sponsored or more or less officially owned by public authorities. However, the only state-owned daily newspaper is Fraternité Matin. According to a panel member who worked there for 30 years at various levels of responsibility “even during the one-party era, there were no excessive interventions, just a few cases of overzealousness”. A proof-reader was hence fired without further trial of any kind for having overlooked an error in the caption of a front page photograph of the family of the late President Houphouët Boigny. ...“even during the oneparty era, there were no excessive interventions, just a few cases of overzealousness” President Laurent Gbagbo prides himself on never interfering in the work of journalists except in situations beyond control.12 12 “There is not one journalist who can say that I called his editorial office to dictate an article or complain about something. Yes, once, Fraternité Matin, a government newspaper had announced a news item in 2003 when the crisis was at its peak. It had announced the interview of a Minister who would explain why we did not enter Bouaké. I believed (this was an explanation I had given) that this would worsen the situation. I called and asked the Minister to withdraw his interview and to call Fraternité Matin and tell them not to publish it. But it was for reasons of peace and war. It was not for normal governance issues”. (Speech delivered by President Laurent Gbagbo at the 10th anniversary of RIARC (Network of African Communication Regulatory Authorities); official site of the President’s Office: www.cotedivoire-pr.ci). AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER IVORY COAST 2009 93