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International Research & Exchanges Board

MSI Africa 2006-2007

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GUinea

Introduction

Overall Country Score:  2.25

In 1986 Guinea started a vast process of decentralization after the authorities decided to give the population a sense of responsibility for its own development. In recent years, the increase of poverty, doubled by the relapse into armed conflicts in the region contributed to a sense of insecurity and exclusion among many Guinean citizens.

This is the context in which the government started a series of legislative and institutional reforms: the promulgation in 1991 of Law L/91/005/ TCNR concerning the freedom of the press and communication and Law L/91/006/TCNR concerning the creation of the National Communication Council (NCC) as an advisory and regulatory body. NCC’s mission is to improve the functioning of the media and oversee the 2005 decree on the liberalizing the airwaves. More than a hundred independent media outlets have appeared since then. The Framework Program for the Development of the National Press (FP/DNP) was set up in 2000 with the support of the UNPD, a few private radio stations were created and a number of professional associations for the press and publishers also appeared.

All these gains emphasize even more the crucial role of the press as a means to fight against exclusion, support political stability, support good governance, and buttress economic development. As a result of the union-organized strikes in January 2007, the signs of a return to a peaceful situation in terms of political and democratic governance became visible.

As far as the freedom of speech is concerned the government has established the necessary legislation to protect journalists, even though a few exceptions could be noticed here and there. Reflecting this, panelists rated Objective 1 at 2.22. The access of the population to different news sources is largely favored by a media boom, while the media themselves do their best given their means to produce shows reflecting local interests. This development resulted in the highest objective score going to Objective 3, plurality of news, at 2.49. Panelists appreciated the work of media organizations, which are working for the legal and social protection of their members, and gave the second highest score to Objective 5, supporting institutions, a 2.44. However, the infringement of professional ethics and the lack of sustainable business management are the biggest challenges that must be addressed. As a result, panelists gave their lowest score, 1.98, to Objective 2, professional journalism. Faring slightly better was Objective 4, business management, at 2.09.

Objective 1: Freedom of Speech

Score: 2.22

Most of the objectives scored close to the overall average. However, panelists highlighted a couple of weaknesses in this objective with low scores for Indicators 5 and 7, preferential treatment for state media and access to information. Indicator 9, free entry to the journalism was the high indicator, ending up almost three-quarters of a point higher than the average.

In Guinea, the legal dispositions guaranteeing the freedom of speech have been adopted for over a decade. More specifically, article 1 of Law no. 91/05/TCNR concerning the freedom of the press, radio, television, and communication in general stipulates that “any Guinean citizen has the right to create, own, and operate press companies, printing houses, publishing houses, bookshops, any press outlet circulating information, ideas, and opinions….” Moreover, the exercise of this freedom can only be limited by measures protecting human dignity, ensuring pluralist expression of thoughts and opinions, and safeguarding public order and national unity.

In 2005, through Decree No. 037D/2005/PR/SGG concerning the conditions for the establishment and operation of private broadcast media, the government authorized the creation and operation of private and community radio and television stations. The Guinean Media Ethics and Deontology Monitor (GMEDM) was established a short time later to oversee these proper implementation of the media laws. “Today we are glad to say that commendable efforts have been made in this sense: there are private and commercial radio stations transmitting from Guinea. Take the written press, for instance, and you’ll see quite a blossoming of outlets on the market. We have inventoried more than 50 outlets. All this is to say that freedom of expression is alive and well in our country,” said Mory Fofana, chairperson of the Guinean Independent Press Association (GIPA).

This situation cannot mask constraints encountered in practice due to unfortunate actions of law enforcement. This was the case in January and February 2007, when the studios of the commercial radio station FM Liberté were ravaged and two of its employees were unjustly arrested.

Allocation of frequencies is transparent. Granting of operating licenses is subject to a number of requirements. As a general rule, all applications that meet these requirements are approved and subsequently receive frequencies. However, it must be pointed out that according to the decree of liberalization of the radio waves, political parties and religious organizations do not have the right to create radio stations. Another factor that might disqualify some applications is the high cost of granting frequencies.

Press companies are taxpayers just like any other company. But the tax administration differentiates between commercial radios and community radios; the latter receive significant tax advantages. Given the country’s particularly difficult economic environment companies have trouble paying their taxes. In the end, the contributions of the press companies are clearly below those paid by other industries.

The situation in recent years shows that offenses against journalists persist and no one is punished. There were brutal police raids in the editorial rooms of some newspapers (Lynx and L’Indépendant) and private radio stations (FM Liberté) causing serious damage: equipment was ruined and journalists were taken hostages. “…They ruined the equipment, beat the journalists who were there; they were brought to a military camp, they were severely beaten. And what was the consequence of these violent acts against the two journalists? So I say, in general, since it is the police who attack journalists, those who commit crimes against journalists are not punished in this country,” according to Mama Adama Keita, member of the Association of African Female Professionals of Communication (AAFPC). Unfortunately, these cases of abuse against journalists receive coverage only in the private media.

Until April 2007, when a new consensus government came to power, the state-owned media were to a certain extent favored with respect to the private media: they were the only media authorized to cover official events. As a general rule, journalistic independence is guaranteed by the law, as specified in article 19 of law 91/05/TCNR: “Any article or opinion can be freely published in a press outlet while observing the limitations specified in paragraph 3 of article 1.” Journalistic independence is a highly relative concept to the extent that the behavior of the media workers is governed by their employer’s editorial policy. Journalists working for the private media enjoy breathing space allowing them to balance the news, whereas those working for the state-owned media are subject to political pressure.

“Independence must be considered in the context of a political system. Guinean public media are not public service media, they are government media. This means that we are the spokespersons of a political system; we betray everything that makes us a journalist, as everyone who works in the exclusive interest of information should have information go in all directions. Unfortunately, journalists continue to be servants and are under a stranglehold,” according to Chaikou Balde, member of the Guinean Human Rights Organization (GHRO).

Libel provisions are included in the various laws, and cases are addressed at different levels. GIPA can force journalists having committed such an offense to correct themselves. NCC may sanction the outlet in which the offense was committed. Finally, a right of reply may be granted. The provisions of articles 21 and 22 of Law No. 91/05/TCNR are clear on this: “any natural person or civil entity named or implicated in an article or audio-visual communication has the right to a response.” The corrections must be made public free of charge and high on the first page of the next issue or broadcast in the next show or in the show specified by the public authority.

The NCC issues press cards for all journalists of all media who meet the requirements. Press cards grant journalists access to government officials and sources of information and allow them to cover national or official events. However this regulation is often undermined by what is called “withholding information.” Nouhou Balde, a journalist with the weekly newspaper L’Observateur, pointed out: “Even the public media’s access to information is often restricted. The government only provides information that it considers convenient. The technocrats that possess information tend to close up on themselves when they do not have their superior’s approval. They will not involve themselves in an investigation that might cast doubt on a fellow official.”

Access by media outlets to international news sources is completely unrestricted. There are several means of access: press agency dispatches, the Internet, international institutions, or local diplomatic representatives.

The government does not restrict access to the journalism profession. Until recently media outlets had few requirements, too. However. Due to the creation of specialized institutions, such as the School of Journalism at the University of Sonfonia, the Kofi Annan University, the Higher Institute for Information Sciences and Technologies, more and more media require applicants to have at least a journalism degree in order to be hired.

Objective 2: Professional Journalism

Score: 1.98

In this objective all indicators scored close to the average except for Indicator 5, pay levels for journalists.

The opinion shared by many panelists was that nowadays in Guinea it is very difficult to process the information generated by a report in an equitable manner. Most investigations are sponsored. In many cases, there is an economic or a political figure behind the scenes. The public media are mainly interested in official happenings, such as seminars and activities of the government, while the private media favor sensationalism.

Even though reporters are initially intent on discovering the truth and take an objective approach, pressure coming from their superiors, doubled by their often ridiculous living conditions, forces them to make compromises. Mariama Bah, a magistrate, explained that “Corruption exists and many journalists are its victims, either because they are hungry or simply because they are afraid and just want to protect their skin; so they are forced to hide the truth in exchange for an amount of money that will improve or just save their life.”

In the public media, investigative journalism is hard to find for the simple reason that any investigation can be interrupted halfway through due to pressures from all directions.

There is an ethics code, but not all journalists are aware of the standards set out by it. The result is that there are a large numbers of libel cases against the private press. Therefore, panelists felt it is time to set up a mechanism reinforcing the journalists’ adherence to ethical standards.

In the public media, particularly in the radio and television editorial rooms, journalists submit to self-censorship to avoid the risk of offending the sensibilities of the political authorities.

According to Chaikou Balde there are several reasons justifying journalists falling back on self-censorship: “When it is veryhard to earn a living, you must practice self-censorship. When you don’t know the principles of the trade, sometimes you practice self-censorship unintentionally.”

Covering key events and issues is often heavily dependent upon the editorial policy of the media. In many cases it is also imposed by the subject (i.e., the journalist’s freedom of movement with respect to the topic), the importance of the news, and the official character of the topic (a crucial element in case of the public media). In the private print media, the ability of the story to sell papers is paramount.

Just as with public employees, those working in the media do not earn decent salaries. The public media treats journalists better than the private media, but the salary is still low: a person with five years of experience earns the equivalent of $90 per month. “…Very few independent press outlets pay their journalists, who must then find other income sources,” according to Nouhou Balde with L’Observateur. Observed Fofana, “The context in which the Guinean press lives does not allow for a proper remuneration for journalists. It is a problem that the publishers of the independent press must face. The situation is real and we have to live with it. The low salaries make corruption much more tempting to journalists.”

A meticulous analysis of the scheduling practices in the public and private audio-visual media leads to the conclusion that entertainment prevails over newscasts. In most cases the radio or television newscasts take up to 20 percent of the total schedule.

In case of many media, particularly radio stations, the reporting equipment is either insufficient or timeworn and therefore the listeners suffer from terrible sound quality. One exception is the community radio Familia FM, which has state-of-the-art digital equipment. Generally, reporting teams have trouble going out in the field due to a nearly total lack of transportation. Also, there are insufficient production studios. Shows often go off the air due to electrical power breakdowns and transmitters are too weak to cover the entire national territory. At television stations, the cutting tables are obsolete and the quality of the cut images is very poor. Many areas of the country do not get any television reception. Private newspapers are challenged by the high cost of inputs and dilapidated printing equipment, which has a negative impact on the regularity of their publication.

There are a few stations such as Radio Kalum Steréo, Familia FM, and Radio-Television Guinea (RTG) that have started to produce more and more frequent reports on issues that concern citizens directly, such as health, electricity and water supply in various urban districts, and the increase of prices for basic products. These are the exceptions, however, as most channels offer no innovation. The only encouraging sign in the recent months is a new show entitled “What is right, what is wrong,” which allows the listeners or viewers to express themselves freely on major issues related to the development of Guinean society.

Objective 3: Plurality of News

Score: 2.49

In this objective Indicators 1 and 2, plurality and citizen access to news, scored best, significantly above the average. Indicators 3 and 7, state media reflect the views of the political spectrum and a broad spectrum of social interests reflected are in the media, finished much lower, particularly Indicator 3.

Radio and television are the main media accessible to the population, particularly those living in large cities. However, it must be pointed out that these media cannot cover the entire national territory. Mama Adama Keita pointed out that “Coverage is not sufficient. Not even the national radio station can be received all over the country. The rural radio stations try to relay the other public media but they are also facing management problems. In some towns the station is not broadcasting for reasons such as the lack of fuel.” In rural areas, local radio stations that broadcast in the local languages are the most listened to. There are currently four large regional channels and 13 community radios scattered throughout the country.

Only a small percentage of the population reads newspapers. The Internet is not much used due to the low income of the population and the numerous electrical power outages.

The government does not restrict access to international media. Recently, thanks to the law concerning the liberalization of the airwaves, some international media (particularly RFI and BBC) were granted frequencies and have been broadcasting for a few months in the capital and a few other regional capitals. It is easy to access foreign newspapers for those who can afford to pay for them. No government-imposed restrictions exist on Internet access. In many rural areas, a small fraction of the population receives foreign television channels using cable providers.

The public media is not completely independent. Historically, they convey the government’s opinions and have not covered activities of the opposition. According to Chaikou Balde, “We must distinguish between state-owned media and public media, because the first do not try hard enough to follow the interests of the populace. They focus on political issues while the most burning questions are empty or obscured. The public media really must find the path from being state-owned to being a public service.” Since the current consensus government came to power, however, this practice changed due to the strong determination of the new government to take into account a wider variety of points of view. The public media do serve  the populace with educational programs not found elsewhere.

There is no independent press agency in Guinea. There is only one public local press agency, the Guinean Press Agency, that produces and distributes news to the official organs such as GRT and the daily newspaper Horoya. It must be said that the dispatches coming by way of international press agencies (AFP in particular) are also used via the Internet by most Guinean media.

Broadcast news focuses mainly on national current affairs. In general, there is no significant difference between the public and private media in terms of newscast content. However, the public media are more interested in reporting all events sponsored by the government, whereas the independent media cover issues of direct interest to people’s daily life. Mariama Bah said “It’s even more practical to go out in the field and ask people questions. We feel like we are part of the event. So those who take the microphone and say what is going wrong make a stronger impact than those who make a summary of the event. That’s what we should encourage.”

The schedules of the community media focus exclusively on development issues among the rural populace. Cherif Diallo, manager of the community radio of Bissikrima explained this approach: “We are interested in interactive communication. We follow the activities of the country’s people. We spend little time broadcasting news, but we produce magazine-type shows and interviews and thus we satisfy the need of the community. We extract our primary news from our investigations in the field.”

As a general rule, all legal texts mention media ownership, but this information is only available if one looks for it. “Owners directly influence the editorial orientation of their press outlet, particularly the independent ones. They cannot publish anything that might affect any relation between themselves and the person involved in the news piece,” stressed Nouhou Balde.

In Guinea no media is specifically established to address issues of minorities. However, the government makes sure that the activities of minority ethnic groups are included in the schedules of the public audio-visual media. The latest example was the introduction of the Konianke language into GTR’s schedule about four years ago.

Objective 4: Business Management

Score: 2.09

The score for this objective was lifted by Indicator 5, government subsidies for private media. Despite the existence of subsidies, panelists felt they are apportioned in a fair and transparent manner and do not affect editorial policies. However, Indicators 6 and 7, market research and audience and circulation measurement scored much worse than the average. Overall, despite the grants from the government, Guinean media are not profitable due to a lack of good management. This is multiplied by the fact that the local advertising agencies lack a real marketing policy.

In general, the Guinean media are not professionally managed. Despite revenues from many different sources, lack of management and other factors not only preclude profitability, but an inability to cover all operating expenses. In the public as well as private media, revenue comes from advertisements, advertorials, and subscriptions. Private media receive subsidies from the government and financing from ownership. Public media are financed by the state budget. The community media receive about 30 percent of their revenue from publishing obituaries and advertisements, about 50 percent through production partnerships with NGOs and other local projects, and the balance through subsidies granted by regional governments.

Currently local advertising agencies such as the Guinean Advertising Office do not adequately support the advertising market. Although this agency manages the advertising markets for the public media, particularly the GRT, it has established no form of collaboration with the private media.

Outside the capital, the advertising sector is barely visible. Even in urban media the small amount of spending on advertising means that not much space or airtime is filled with advertisements. Hady Camara, a journalist with GRT TV, said “The time given to advertising in the private media varies based on the sponsor. On the public radio and television, advertising takes two percent of airtime, on community radios such as Familia FM, 10 percent, and a little more on commercial radios such as FM Liberté.”

In the private media, particularly the newspapers, according to Nouhou Balde, “advertisements represent a considerable, but not crucial, source of revenue.” In a broader context, advertising revenues are far from representing a means for profitability in the media. As Chaikou Balde correctly pointed out, “The revenue from advertising cannot be the primary source to ensure the survival of our media, given the weakness of the economic fabric of our country.”

Independent media receive government subsidies. Every year the government grants GNF 400 million ($100,000) to independent print media. These subsidies are granted according to a number of criteria that the papers must meet: the weekly papers operate at 50 percent of their total capacity; the bi-weekly papers at 75 percent, and the monthly papers at 100 percent. Other newspapers receive, based on their production level, between GNF 2 million and GNF 24 million. Some media associations that proved to be particularly energetic in their work also benefit from these subsidies.

Under the current circumstances, no market research is being conducted in the media, and there are no circulation figures or audience ratings available.

Objective 5: Supporting Institutions

Score: 2.44

All indicators fell close to the objective average, although Indicator 1, trade associations, was a clear straggler among them.

In Guinea there are no trade associations for broadcasters. There are a few professional media associations. Among them, three are particularly noteworthy for the level of effort they put into their work. GIPA, which has been operational since 1991, creates partnerships with various NGOs to the benefit of its members. Its main goal is to advocate for the interests of publishers. AAFPC is a NGO affiliated with the Pan-African Association for Women Communicators. It works for the promotion of women and makes sure women are properly represented in managing positions within the media. The Journalists Association of Guinea (JAG), established in 1986 seeks to protect the interests of Guinean journalists from all media formats.

These associations take action when freedom of speech needs to be protected. During the strikes that occurred in January and February 2007, when police raided Liberté FM, JAG strongly opposed the destruction of the station’s equipment. GIPA has intervened in cases of police abuse against journalists from the independent private press. “A lawsuit has been filed against two members of the GIPA. We are there too,” said Mory Fofana, chairperson of GIPA. However, unless the associations are expressly solicited by international institutions to evaluate current or proposed media laws, this sort of activity is not typically undertaken.

The higher education institutions that train journalists, such as the University of Sonfonia, the Kofi Annan University, and the Institute for Information and Communication Sciences, often face a shortage of trainers and lack of equipment. This is reflected in the quality of the classes taught there and the final products of these institutions. “These degrees are below the expectations of the job market. I believe that the public and private press is well placed to evaluate the quality of the products,” according to Chaickou Balde.

In some rare cases, students receive scholarships to study journalism abroad. When their training period is over, some of them return to the country. But given the economic situation of Guinea, very few of them can find jobs in the local media.

Under these circumstances, no training institution offers short-term training courses, not to mention internships. Nouhou Balde with L’Observateur pointed out: “We must also complain about the lack of internships and other places where journalists could gather experience. When they arrive on the market they are completely inexperienced and when facing the daily hardships they end up giving up all the laws and rules that govern the profession.” Panelists said that media outlets do not provide in-house training, as they do not have the resources to do so.

Panel Participants

Aissatou Bah, program director, Radio Labé, Labé
Mamadou Adama Barry, journalist, National Radio, Conakry
Mama Adama Keita, journalist, Association of African Female Professionals of Communication, Conakry
Cherif Diallo, manager, Community Radio of Bissikrima, Dabola
Nouhou Baldé, managing editor, L’Observateur, Conakry
Hady Camara, journalist, National Television, Conakry
Saïkou Balde, journalist, Radio Télévision Guinea, Guinean Human Rights Organization, Conakry
Mariama Bah, magistrate, Guinean Institute of Human Rights Education, Conakry
Yaya Bah, teacher, National Institute of Research and Teaching Action, Conakry
Ibrahima Kante, journalist, Sonoya-Sina Rural Review, N’zerekore
Ibrahima Sory Dieng, editor-in-chief, Horoya National Newspaper, Conakry
Mory Fofana, journalist, Guinean Independent Press Association, Conakry

Moderator
Sow Marcel, independent consultant, National Network of Radio and Rural Reviews of Guinea, Conakry

Assistant
Thierno Souleymane Bah, journalist, National Radio Guinea, Conakry

The Guinea study was coordinated by, and conducted in partnership with, PANOS Institute West Africa, Dakar, Senegal.