High Council for Communication (Niger)
The High Council for Communication (Le Conseil Supérieur de la Communication, CSC) of the West African state of Niger is a government body which regulates press and media.[1]
1960-1993
Under the First Republic, the Military government of 1974-1989, and the transitional military led Second Republic, there was no press in Niger outside government sources. Consequently, there were no regulatory bodies prior to the press liberalisation which began in 1991-1993.[2]
Third Republic
The CSC was established under the Third Republic, and first began operations in 1994. Its first remit was to provide broadcast licenses for private electronic media, granting its first radio broadcast license to a local affiliate of
Military rule and Fourth Republic
Following the Coup d'état of 1996, free press was again suspended. With the brief creation of the Fourth Republic, the CSC was formally abolished by Law N° 97-26 of 18 July 1997 and direct oversight of limited media was confirmed in Law N° 98-23 of 11 August 1998.[2]
Fifth Republic
Under the Constitution of the Fifth Republic (1999), the CSC is tasked as an authority "independent of political power" which is to guarantee equal access to the media by all political forces as well as liberty of the press.
Following the 26 June declaring of emergency rule by President
Membership
The constitutional makeup of the body is limited to a mandate that it be "independent". Under the Third Republic, the President of the Republic, the Speaker of the National Assembly and the President of the Supreme Court each appointed one of the CSC’s seven members. The four remaining members, all accredited journalists, were appointed by the private sector (1) and "the most representative organizations" in the public sector (3).[10] In 2006 there were 12 appointed members, all but one government appointees.[11] Its current president, appointed in 2007, is Daouda Diallo.[1][11] From 2003 to 2007, the CSC president was former state radio broadcaster Mariama Keita, the first woman to hold the post.[12]
Independence
Both the independence and scope of powers of the CSC has been questioned by domestic and foreign observers. The Committee to Protect Journalists has flatly stated that in 2006 "Authorities also used the state-controlled High Council on Communications, known by its French acronym, CSC, to censor the press."[10][11] As long ago as 1992, journalist groups have called for the press to be governed by press bodies. In 1997, the CSC helped found the "Council of the Press" (Conseil de presse) as a professional accrediting body. In 2007, the Council created a statue of professional journalism, which the CSC is to use to govern press conduct, and which supeceds a code created by journalist organisations in 1997. Press organisations, such as the Union des journalistes privés nigériens (Ujpn), the Syndicat des agents de l’information (Sainfo) and the Association nigérienne des éditeurs de la presse indépendante (Anepi) criticise the Council as too dependent upon the CSC and the government.[8]
Powers
The CSC is the only body legally allowed to close media outlets, establish bans on reporting, and license television, radio, and newspaper reporting. It also oversees and disburses government funding for private media, through its "press assistance fund".[4] It distributes press passes and accredits journalists.[13] It functioning under the Third Republic was questioned, due to a perceived lack of resources. Journalists observing the CSC contrasted the vast, if vague scope of the CSC's powers, with its lack of personnel and funding, rendering it "unable to exercise its numerous powers", and charging that this served the interest of political control of the media.[10]
Under the Fifth Republic it further is responsible for creating a professional committee of journalism in Niger, which in turn creates the "Charter of Professional Journalists of Niger" (Charte des Journalistes professionnels du Niger). This is the code which the CSC then uses to oversee and sanction the professional behaviour of journalists.[13]
The CSC is the only government agency with the legal power to close radio stations, and it may do so only after receiving a complaint. Despite this, as recently as 2005 the government have closed radio outlets without recourse to the CSC. In this case, a private radio station publicised protests to tax increases, and although initial police closures were overturned, the CSC ordered the station to refrain from broadcasting political news, sports coverage, or commercials.
Amidst the
See also
- Media of Niger
- Human Rights in Niger
References
- ^ a b Presidency of the Republic of Niger: Conseil supérieur de la communication Archived 2008-12-25 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2009-02-23
- ^ a b SEMINAIRE-ATELIER DE FORMATION ET DE SENSIBILISATION "Mission de service public dans les entreprises de presse d’Etat et privée"[permanent dead link]. Historical introduction to Press Laws, in conference proceedings, Organised by FIJ/SAINFO/LO-TCO CCOG. NIAMEY (June 2002).
- ^ NIGER HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES, 1994 Archived 2010-07-11 at the Wayback Machine U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, FEBRUARY 1995
- ^ a b c L’empouvoirement citoyen pour la bonne gouvernance à travers la radio communautaire en Afrique de l’Ouest Archived 2010-07-14 at the Wayback Machine. Chapitre 18. Notes sur le cadre législatif et reglementaire au Niger. Oumar Seck Ndiaye. From L’empouvoirement citoyen pour la bonne gouvernance à travers la radio communautaire en Afrique de l’Ouest: Cadres législatifs et réglementaires[dead link]. The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters -- Africa (AMARC-Afrique). No date. Retrieved 2009-02-23
- ^ Oumar Seck Ndiaye. Retrieved 2009-02-23. From délibération n°02-2007/P/C/CSC du 27 août 2007 of the CSC. In article 26 the language reads "les radios à caractère confessionnel et politique sont formellement interdites"
- ^ Constitution de la République du Niger. Adoptée le 18 juillet 1999 et promulguée par le décret n°99-320/PCRN du 9 août 1999 Archived 2009-10-29 at the Wayback Machine. Titre VIII : Du Conseil Supérieur de la Communication, Articles 124-126
- ^ Conseil des Ministres du 17 juillet 2008 : IV. AU TITRE DU MINISTERE CHARGE DES RELATIONS AVEC LES INSTITUTIONS Archived 2009-11-10 at the Wayback Machine. Minutes of the Council of Ministers, from the official website of the Presidency of Niger. Retrieved 2009-02-23. "Le règlement intérieur et le règlement administratif sont approuvés par décret pris en Conseil des Ministres après avis du Conseil d'Etat pour le contrôle de conformité"
- ^ a b Niger : Conseil de presse. Les journalistes refusent la mise sous tutelle Archived 2011-05-10 at the Wayback Machine. Ousseini Issa. Médi@ctions n°37, Institut PANOS Afrique de l’Ouest. March 2004.
- ^ Déclaration des Organisations socioprofessionnelles du secteur des médias Archived 2009-07-04 at the Wayback Machine. Statement by: RJDH, UJPN, SYNTRAPREP, RJSP, UPF-Niger, ANEPI, ARTI, SYNATIC, RJDL, RJC, RNJIT. 1 July 2009.
- ^ a b c Un géant pris au piège de son gigantisme Archived 2011-07-21 at archive.today, Mame Less Camara. English Translation. Interadio Vol 8 No 1. The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters -- Africa (AMARC-Afrique) Retrieved 2009-02-23
- ^ a b c d Attacks on the press: Niger 2006 Archived 2011-09-20 at the Wayback Machine. Committee to Protect Journalists (2007). Retrieved 2009-02-23
- ^ Mariama Keita, Présidente du Conseil supérieur de la communication du Niger : "La presse nigérienne a besoin d’être assainie" Archived 2011-07-24 at the Wayback Machine. Médi@ctions, Institut PANOS Afrique de l’Ouest. 1 April 2003.
- ^ a b Réseau des Journalistes pour les Droits de l’Homme (RJDH-NIGER) Archived 2009-06-12 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2009-02-23.
- ^ Niger: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2005 Archived 2022-08-28 at the Wayback Machine. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State. March 8, 2006
- ^ Niger: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2007 Archived 2021-05-25 at the Wayback Machine. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State. March 11, 2008
- ^ Niger: Emergency legislation infringes non-derogable human rights Archived 2009-02-11 at the Wayback Machine. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL Public Statement. AI Index: AFR 43/001/2007 (Public Document) Press Service Number: 181/07. 21 September 2007
- ^ Attacks on the Press in 2008: Niger Archived 2009-02-18 at the Wayback Machine. Committee to Protect Journalists. February 10, 2009
- ^ Niger. IFJ Condemns Niger Suspension of Broadcaster Archived 2008-10-16 at the Wayback Machine. African Press Organization (APO) & The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). August 22, 2008.
- ^ "Niger's president stiffens controls on media", AFP, 8 July 2009.
- Niger communications body urges media professionalism. PANA Press. 2009-02-19.