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Senegalese media launched a nationwide blackout to protest growing threats to press freedom under Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, including economic pressures and government interference
Ousmane Sonko speaks after he was appointed prime minister by Senegal’s newly-elected President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, in Dakar, Senegal April 2, 2024. REUTERS/Abdou Karim Ndoye/File Photo
By Editorial Staff August 13, 2024
SENEGAL experienced a total media blackout on Tuesday as newspapers ceased publication and television and radio broadcasts went silent. The action was a coordinated protest by media organisations against escalating threats to press freedom, particularly those posed by newly appointed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko.
The Senegalese Council of Press Distributors and Publishers (CDEPS) issued a stark warning about the state of press freedom in an editorial on Monday. ‘For nearly three months, the Senegalese press has endured one of the darkest phases of its history,’ the editorial stated, emphasising the growing challenges faced by both private and public media outlets.
The media blackout aimed to highlight a range of pressures, including the freezing of bank accounts for non-payment of taxes, the seizure of production equipment, and the abrupt termination of government advertising contracts. These actions, the CDEPS argued, are part of a broader effort by the government to stifle independent journalism.
Prime Minister Sonko, who assumed office in early April, has accused media organisations of mismanaging public funds and failing to pay social security contributions. His government’s actions, however, have sparked fears that the media sector is being deliberately targeted for financial ruin.
Mamadou Ibra Kane, president of CDEPS, expressed deep concern about the impact of the government’s ‘hostile acts’ on the media industry. ‘Today, most media companies are on the brink of bankruptcy,’ Kane told French broadcaster RFI, adding that the sector had hoped for government intervention to alleviate the crisis. Instead, Kane accused the new administration of attempting to ‘asphyxiate’ independent media financially and economically in order to create state-controlled outlets.
This media blackout follows statements made by Sonko in late June, where he criticised news outlets for publishing stories without reliable sources under the guise of press freedom. His remarks were widely interpreted as a threat to independent journalism.
‘The goal is clear: to control information and subdue media professionals,’ the CDEPS declared, noting that these tactics are reminiscent of methods used by previous regimes. The organisation warned that dismantling critical media poses a significant threat to both press freedom and freedom of expression in Senegal.
International media watchdog Reporters Without Borders has called on Senegal’s new president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, to take immediate action to protect press freedom. The organisation highlighted that Senegal’s ranking on the World Press Freedom Index has plummeted from 49th place in 2021 to 94th place today, a reflection of the deteriorating conditions for journalists in the country.
The media blackout serves as a powerful statement against the erosion of press freedom in Senegal, as the country’s journalists and media professionals stand united in defence of their right to report independently and without fear of retribution.