Participants debating conditions for investigative reporting in Benin. Photo: Michelle Betz/IMS

The PAIR programme is being carried out in five West African countries.  Read about the situation of media in Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Togo below 

Benin

Benin has been viewed as a model of good media practice and press freedom not only in West Africa but across the entire African continent. In 2006, Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) had Benin in first place in Africa in their press freedom index and 23^rd globally, ahead even of countries such as France, Italy and the USA. However, that same year saw what RSF called: “a year in which much was called into question, mainly because of excesses by a section of the press which flourished in Cotonou, in the wake of presidential elections.”  This resulted in Benin dropping 30 places in the 2007 global rankings and saw the country fall from first place in Africa to 9^th on the continent.

According to the constitution, media are free and no journalists are in prison - though security forces have earlier jailed writers. Instead, economic pressure is used in the form of fees on opposition media. Also the government continues to prosecute journalists for libel, something which is seen as a kind of censorship. Publications criticise the government freely and frequently, but their effect on public opinion is limited due to limited circulation and widespread illiteracy.

The new government is attempting to sign contracts with local media that were earlier critical of the government. Some believe that the contracts, which some media have signed, imply financial support from the state at the price of less critical journalism. 

There is no collective agreement on wages for journalists. At some media they are only paid per diems and those who do get a salary are underpaid. Journalists often ask for an amount of 5000 CFA (7,6 Euro) to cover a press conference. Indeed, some journalists moonlight as ministry press attaches and are thus quick to produce stories on the activities of ‘their’ ministry.

There are at least 40 newspapers, 4 TV stations and one press service. The state runs one newspaper, La Nation, the press agency, Agence Benin-Presse (ABP) and the Office de Radiodiffusion et de Television du Benin (ORTB) which operates one TV channel that reaches the entire country as well as a radio station with a nation-wide network. There are 7 national radio stations and 73 community radios - both privately and publicly owned, some in local languages. Community radio is very important in Benin, particularly in the interior of the country.

There are investigative programmes on local TV about hospitals, police etc. and there is generally good opportunity to conduct investigative journalism according to the participants from Benin at the Accra seminar, but the funds are not there.

Specific topics to Benin that can make good investigative stories range from corruption in public administration and in politics (especially during elections) to secret social or traditional practices that seriously undermine the development of Benin.

Ivory Coast

Theoretically there is press freedom in Ivory Coast but the situation is still tense after the political unrest. Threats against journalists occur and some media offices have been attacked by militants. It is also a problem that journalists are underpaid and lack even transport means; this opens the media to corruption.

The state has a monopoly when it comes to electronic media, although it has reportedly been decided to create an independent state-financed TV channel. There are 15 daily newspapers, including the big state owned Fraternité Matin which also serves as a kind of journalist school, a lot of weeklies and magazines, and more than 20 private radio stations that belong to municipalities, churches or private persons, often politicians.

Journalists are not jailed, but like in Ghana big media are either controlled by the government or the opposition. A new media law will become effective after the elections scheduled for late November 2009, but whether a potential new government will implement it is an open question.

Ghana

There are two state owned newspapers and one state owned TV channel in Ghana and a large number of powerful and independent radio channels – although politicians own most of the independent channels. There are also privately owned newspapers, including a number of weeklies, all in English.

There are more than 100 local radio stations. The ones broadcasting in the local language, Twi, have more listeners than the ones broadcasting in English.

The government-owned Ghana Broadcasting Corporation makes radio services available throughout the country in English and six other languages. The government dominates all media, and though it is said to tolerate the small independent print media, it is reported to repress dissenting opinions during election times. The constitution does provide for free speech and press.

Soft control of the media is exerted mainly by the state, but in contrast to the hard repression of the past, the state has no monopoly.

Education, training, and travel opportunities offered to working journalists are soft control. So are selective credentialing, selective access to government and business officials, scoops presented on a platter, and, of course, gifts - what Ghanaians call soli.

Burkina Faso

There are four daily newspapers, four TV stations (national television was established in 2005), more than 100 private radio stations, online media and more than 15 weekly or monthly magazines. The number of media has risen sharply lately, but some of them are mere mouthpieces for certain politicians. The public seems interested in the media – if a newspaper doesn’t publish, people will turn up at its offices and ask for it, but at the same time people are afraid to give information to the media.

Journalists are paid very badly. As in the other countries there is no guaranteed access to information about public affairs, and editors have been known to give information on the sources of their journalists if the authorities ask. Threats against journalists are widespread and intimidation by groundless arrests lasting for hours is common.

According to Reporters sans Frontiers’ latest report on Burkina Faso (2007) “challenging the head of state, his family or his closest allies remains a high risk exercise”. Investigative journalism is not very common due to lack of resources and lack of training.

Togo

The country has state television and radio as well as a number of private TV- and radio stations. There are some 348 newspapers at the latest count, 20 of which publish regularly, including a state owned daily and several weeklies. Many newspapers employ just 2-3 people who simply download information from the internet. Both the media and the training of reporters lack structure and organisation. Corruption in the media is widespread due to the extremely low salaries.

Although formal restrictions on the freedom of the press have been eased considerably over the last few years, many journalists still live in fear. Most information about public affairs is in principle secret. There are threats against journalists, sometimes from government ministers, and the media- and journalists’ organisation remains passive in the face of it. There have been cases of torture and imprisonment of journalists.

One of the most positive aspects of the Togolese media is the community radios that are non-partisan, but they are hampered by lack of funding. They broadcast in local languages. The internet is also increasingly a good source of information after the authorities have dropped efforts to block certain websites.