Senegalese Media Calls for National Blackout in Protest
Senegalese news organizations have declared a national media blackout on Tuesday, protesting against ongoing threats to press freedom and the pressures faced within the industry. Mamadou Ibra Kane, head of the Senegalese Council of Press Distributors and Publishers (CDEPS), announced that “there will be no newspapers, no radio or television broadcasts, and news websites belonging to press companies will not be publishing,” in a statement made to AFP on August 12.
The media sector in Senegal has struggled with economic challenges for an extended period, leading many reporters to voice concerns about their precarious working conditions. Recently installed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko’s comments have raised alarms among journalists, who view them as a direct threat to their profession.
The CDEPS issued a joint editorial on August 12, warning of “one of the darkest chapters in the history” of the media industry, stating that the freedom of the press is “threatened in Senegal.” The organization, which represents editors from both private and public media companies, expressed dissatisfaction with government actions, highlighting that authorities are “freezing the bank accounts” of media companies over alleged tax non-payments.
Additionally, the CDEPS condemned the “seizure of production equipment,” the “unilateral and illegal termination of advertising contracts,” and the “freezing of payments” owed to the media. Prime Minister Sonko, who took office in early April, has criticized what he describes as the “misappropriation of public funds” within the sector, claiming that some media executives have neglected to pay social security contributions.
In remarks made in late June, Sonko also took aim at news outlets, accusing them of publishing content without reliable sources under the guise of press freedom. Many in the media interpreted these comments as a significant threat to their independence.
