However, without a clear definition of when the law may obligate a journalist
to reveal his/her sources, much room is left for arbitrary conclusions to be made
during a judge’s assessment. Journalists involved in legal proceedings could have
refused to reveal their sources at the demand of the state prosecutor without
consequence. The code of ethics of 2012, however, obligates a journalist to reveal
his/her source if it is confirmed that he/she has the intention to mislead.
In December 2013, Côte d’Ivoire passed a law on access to information that is
in the public interest. The implementation of this law has already started. The
Commission for access to information of public interest and to public documents
(CAIDP) was established and commenced its activities in May 2015. Those
responsible for information and focal points are in the process of being put
into place within the public administration system. Nonetheless, the law carries
certain restrictions: certain public documents are always difficult to obtain and it
requires a minimum of 30 days’ delay for members of the public and two weeks
for professional journalists and researchers. These delays can even be extended.
Media organisations and civil society should work in synergy. While civil society
organisations do work with journalists, oftentimes they do not defend media
rights. Even though there are consultations between the institutions, and although
citizens and interest groups are consulted during the drafting of legislation on
media, the final content of the law does not always reflect what was discussed
during said consultations.
Côte d’Ivoire’s media landscape is diverse. There are 75 publications edited by
66 press houses: 22 daily publications, 29 weekly publications, 3 bi-weekly
publications, 19 monthly publications and 1 bi-monthly publication; as well as
several press agencies of which the principals are l’Agence Ivorienne de Presse
(AIP) and Alertes Info. These publications are regulated by the national press
council, Conseil National de la Presse (CNP). The price of a daily newspaper is
fixed at 300 FCFA (USD 0,5), the equivalent of two loaves of bread.
The distribution network is not organised well enough to allow the newspapers to
reach the most remote areas of the country. In the West African sub-region, only
Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire have a distribution network at their disposal. However,
the newspapers are distributed with delays at all points of sale.
Transparency is guaranteed in the ownership of newspapers in Côte d’Ivoire, but
front names continue to exist in media ownership. The law of 2013 on competition
prohibits monopolies, but does not prevent concentration of ownership. It is thus
possible to create as many media houses as one wants.
The State does not restrict citizens’ access to national and international broadcasts,
but during times of crisis, international broadcasts are known to have been cut,
prohibited or blocked. This phenomenon has not occurred since the end of the
post-electoral crisis of 2011.

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