Benin Media Sustainability Index (MSI)
April 10, 2012
About the MSI
IREX designed the MSI to measure the strength and viability of any country's media sector. The MSI considers all the factors that contribute to a media system—the quality of journalism, effectiveness of management, the legal environment supporting freedom of the press, and more—to arrive at scores on a scale ranging between 0 and 4. These scores represent the strength of the media sector components and can be analyzed over time to chart progress (or regression) within a country. Additionally, countries or regions may be compared to one another. IREX currently conducts the MSI in 80 countries, and began studying Africa in 2006.
MSI Overview | Africa | Asia | Europe & Eurasia | Middle East & North Africa
Download Complete Benin Chapter (PDF): 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2006/07 | 2006/7 (français)
MSI Benin - 2010 Introduction
Overall Country Score: 2.30
Benin is a country where crimes against journalists are rare, no journalists were jailed in 2010, and the laws generally support a free press, Benin’s media enjoy some securities that have eluded many of its West African neighbors. Yet stubborn challenges persist, revealing a government fearful of losing control over the media, and a disconnect between the laws and reality for journalists on the ground. In radio and television, the status quo remains: the government continues to block the Audio-Visual and Communication High Authority (known by its French acronym HAAC) from allocating any new frequencies. Widespread self-censorship, corruption, poor professionalism, and a lack of attention to media management also hold back the media.
In perhaps its most brazen attempt to control the media, in August 2010 the government shut down Radio France Internationale (RFI) for 14 hours and interrogated its correspondent following a news report covering parliament’s request to charge President Boni Yayi with abuse of authority and perjury amid corruption allegations. Although the sudden shutdown of RFI was a setback, it also elicited a sharp response from the media community, and the authorities realized fairly quickly that there is a line in the sand that they must not cross.
Complaints against the public media sector underscored by last year’s MSI continue. Many public sector journalists try to provide high-quality service, but the MSI panelists said that national television has “sold out,” content to let the executive branch of government appoint its leaders and steer its editorial direction. Complaints from opposition political parties to HAAC have failed, although the HAAC has attempted to bring those in charge of national television into line.
Despite this rather gloomy picture, freedom of speech is broadly guaranteed in Benin, particularly thanks to the private media, which ensure the availability of a steady stream of news sources and viewpoints—at least in the major urban centers. Benin’s supporting institutions, especially professional associations, continue to gain strength as well, increasing their capacity to improve prospects for a more sustainable media.
