The media’s role in Cote d’Ivoire’s crises

During the past decade, Cote d’Ivoire has seen its share of conflicts and civil wars. A new report explores the role of the media in the country’s crises

As Cote d’Ivoire emerges from a decade of political crises and two civil wars, the country’s media is moving forward with its adoption of a new code of ethics and moves toward greater levels of freedom of expression.

In this optimistic setting, the past years’ difficult environment for the media, and the media’s own role in the country’s crises have been explored in the report “The Media and the Political Crisis in Côte d’Ivoire”, published by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and supported by IMS.

Media caught in crossfire

An armed conflict following Côte d’Ivoire’s presidential elections in 2010 rendered the working conditions of Ivorian journalists very difficult.

The conflict broke out after Alassaine Ouattara won international recognition in November 2010 as the formally elected leader of Cote d’Ivoire but Laurent Gbagbo refused to step down from the presidency which he had held since 2000. Media expert Kwame Karikari from MFWA said in 2011 that the Ivorian media organisations were caught in a violent crossfire, being attacked by supporters of the two main political figures.

It is estimated that at least a dozen Ivorian journalists fled Côte d’Ivoire to Ghana and Liberia during the conflict.

Media may share responsibility

According to the report, the Ivorian journalists and the country’s media as a whole cannot be condemned ‘wholesale’ for their role in Cote d’Ivoire’s crisis in 2010, but it may share some responsibility:

“It would, however, not be appropriate to assert that they do not share any responsibility in the Ivorian socio-political crisis and its consequences,” says the report.

The report also finds that while the country is indeed emerging from its crisis in 2010, the Ivorian media sector has yet to see more than a few economically viable outlets. To become sustainable in the long run, the report calls for an economic and legal overhaul of the sector, and applauds the recently adopted code of ethics.

The 62-page report authored by journalist and media expert Zio Moussa and supported by IMS, traces the development and role of the media from independence to present times. The full publication is available from MFWA in English (PDF) and French (PDF).