out the name of the newspaper, the publisher’s name and address, and the name of the printer, addressed to the State Council, which will issue a receipt. For online publications, the law requires the full name, address and profession of the publisher or webmaster in Guinea, as well as the website address and head office. The state does not attempt to block or filter the contents of the internet, quite apart from the fact that it does not have the means to do so. Most websites are hosted abroad and therefore beyond government control. The media law regulates concentration. The state subsidises the media. The law defines a professional journalist as any person with a diploma from a recognised school of journalism, whose principal, regular and remunerated activity is the collection, processing and dissemination of information, and/or any person who holds a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent, followed by at least two years of practical experience in collecting, processing and disseminating information in the media. In practice, however, this requirement is not mandatory for journalists to ply their trade. Journalists are obliged to protect their sources of information. However, a journalist may be required to reveal his or her source of information at the request of the Attorney General. This can constitute an obstacle to the protection of the confidentiality of one’s sources but a journalist can refuse to comply, and appeal the Attorney General’s request or decision. An extensive array of information sources is available, especially in the capital city Conakry where newspapers and the broadcast media are concentrated. The increase in the number of mobile telephone operators has made access to mobile phones easy, with each household having at least one phone. There are two public and two private television channels as well as twenty-three private radio stations, thirteen community radio stations, and four regional radio stations. About thirty newspapers (dailies and weeklies) are on the market, at 300 Guinean francs1 a copy. Government owns and operates the Guinean Press Agency (Agence Guinéenne de Presse, AGP) and the only daily newspaper, Horoya, which sells for 200 Guinean francs. Citizens also have easy access to international media, especially newspapers, as well as radio and television stations. Newspaper distribution remains a serious problem, even in urban areas. Newspapers reach rural communities very late. The Guinean Newspaper Distribution Corporation (La Société Guinéenne de Distribution de Presse, SOGUIDIP) operates only in Conakry. Despite the creation of a ministry of telecommunications and information technology, there is no real and documented government policy for the media sector, apart from some experience in E-governance gathered during the computerisation of the civil service. 1 7000 Guinean francs=1USD; 300Guinean francs=0.04USD AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER GUINEA 2011 71