Burkina Faso fines French media group Canal+ 50 million CFA francs

Burkina Faso's media regulator has imposed a fine of 50 million CFA francs (or €76,200) on French multimedia group Canal+, the Burkina Faso Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The Higher Council for Communication (CSC) says the company failed to provide free access to national television channels for its subscribers in the country.

A 2024 convention requires Canal+ to continue broadcasting national public channels, even if subscriptions expire.

The Burkinabe media regulator argues that the French group “failed to comply with its contractual obligations” after several warnings.

Canal+ has been granted a new 30-day extension to fully broadcast public channels and will face “more severe penalties” if it fails to comply, the CSC said.

Burkina Faso has suspended almost all Western media outlets, including French news organisations RFI and France 24, since a military junta took power in a 2022 coup.

In May, the country banned French-language channel TV5 Monde from broadcasting after accusing it of "disinformation" and "promotion of terrorism" over its coverage of recent jihadist violence in neighbouring Mali.