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: 			

3.3 (2005=3.0; 2007=3.0)

2.2
Citizens’ access to domestic and international
media sources is not restricted by state authorities.
Analysis
Overall, the Kenyan government has not banned or restricted access to local or
foreign print or broadcast media. Our boundaries are porous. Besides, technology
transcends physical boundaries. However, two cases of restriction have been
recorded recently. In the wake of post-election violence in 2007/2008, the
government restricted some stations from live broadcasts. In 2007, there was an
attempt to restrict the circulation of an international magazine.
The National Press Board is also fighting relentlessly against illegal publications
that have been created over the past months in violation of the 2004 Act (creation
of a company, registration, taxes, etc...) and in contempt of professional standards.
The Board accuses these illicit publications of being illegally present on an already
fragile market with legally established media outlets that rigorously comply with
the obligations of the profession. The CNP has instructed printers not to run these
papers under threat of penalty. In June 2008, the CNP gave GEPEC (Group of
Press Editors in Ivory Coast) a 45-day moratorium for these newspapers, which
are mainly published by the group, to conform to the law.

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER KENYA 2009

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