Newspapers in Guinea
According to PHILOSOPHYNEARBY.COM, Guinea is a country located in Africa. The newspaper distribution in Guinea is very small. The general news and sports magazine Fonike is the only daily newspaper. There is also a state newspaper in French, Journal Officiel de Guinée.
The state-owned Radio Diffusion-Télévision Guinéenne (RTG) broadcasts radio in mainly French and local languages and TV a few hours a day in a channel mainly covering Conakry. There are 52 radio and 44 TV receivers per 1,000 residents (2000).
Culture
According to ALLUNITCONVERTERS, dance and music are important parts of cultural life. In the 1960s and 1970s, folk music was “rediscovered” in countries such as Mali, Senegal and Guinea. The result was a brand new African pop that has come to conquer the world since the 1960s with names like Bembaya Jazz National and Mory Kanté.
Young rap artists like Phaduba Keita and Ablaye M’baye (aka Scandal) write texts that criticize the authorities. Among the new stars who have made international careers are Sia Tolno and Maxi Krezy.
Traditionally, alternating songs with elements of improvisation and vocal singing are typical of Guinean music. The country’s musical traditions have been influenced by both Muslim and Western music through the introduction of Muslim string and wind instruments as well as Western electronic instruments.
Guinea has a rich oral storytelling tradition that forms the basis of modern literature. The country’s most famous writers are Camara Laye and DT Niane.
Guinea was one of the first countries in sub-Saharan Africa to start developing a film industry. However, this development took place during Sékou Touré’s hard dictatorship (see Modern History). Among the top directors today are Mohamed Camara and Cheick Doukoure who both operate in France, as well as Mamady Sidibe and Cheik Fantamady Camara. The latter’s film Il va pleuvoirt sur Conakry (Clouds over Conakry) is about the contradictions between modernity and tradition in society.
Mass Media
Formally, freedom of speech prevails and a new law from 2010 should make it easier to start newspapers. Over the years, media freedom has been restricted in various ways, journalists have been arrested and newspapers have been closed. The situation improved after the democratically elected government in 2011, but clear limits are still set for what can be said, including through strict advocacy laws and the publication of “false information” is also prohibited. At the same time, it appears that media contributes to igniting tension in society.
Low wages and poorly educated journalists have created some ethical problems, including that journalists receive bribes for not writing about sensitive subjects.
During the 2010 election campaign, all parties were given space in the state media. But when riots broke out around the second round, temporary state of emergency was introduced (see Current Policy) and several journalists from private media were arrested. Following an assassination attempt on President Alpha Condé in 2011, the state media council banned the CNC (Conseil nationale de communication) from the media to report on what had happened. The ban was only lifted after protests both within the country and from other countries.
Also in connection with the 2013 parliamentary elections, there were threats and harassment of journalists, in some cases from the country’s security forces or supporters of various parties. Some radio stations were forced to close, and their employees were arrested.
Since then, the authorities have shown a greater willingness to take action against those who threaten and harass the media, even though the president has dismissed criticism from international organizations promoting freedom of the press. The media council CNC has also tended to take punitive action against media that does not support the government.
In 2014, three media workers, along with five health workers, were killed when they visited a village in southeastern Guinea to inform how people would protect themselves against the Ebola virus. The village’s fear of the group they believed was there to spread the disease is believed to have led to the murder. However, the military later intervened to prevent a group of journalists and lawyers from further researching the case.
In early 2016, a reporter on the internet magazine Guinee7.com was shot to death by an unknown perpetrator when he watched the opposition party UFDG’s party congress where riots occurred (see also Political system).
In 2015, Guinea ended up number 102 out of 180 countries on Reporters Without Borders index of freedom of the press in the world.
The largest media are state, but since 2006, private radio and TV channels have been allowed.
There are about thirty newspapers in the country, all of which have small editions, irregular editions and are mostly read in Conakry. Single photocopied articles from different magazines are a cheaper option for those who cannot afford it. Among the state newspapers are the government agency Horoya (Freedom) which is the only daily newspaper in the country, and the Journal Official de Guinée which is published every two weeks. There are several private newspapers and magazines: the satirical Le Lynx, Le Jour and La Nouvell Tribune. High printing costs create problems for all newspapers.
About twenty online magazines, often based outside Guinea, have become increasingly important in recent years for news reporting. GuineeConakry.info belongs to those who have the greatest impact.
Since literacy is low, it is the radio that reaches most residents. The state broadcasting company Radiodiffusion-Télévision Guinéenne (RTG) broadcasts programs in French and a variety of native languages. The radio also has broadcasts in English, Portuguese and Arabic. There are also several private radio stations, including Espace FM. Private Espace TV, which often investigates corruption deals in the public sphere, has not received broadcasting permits in Guinea, but can be viewed via satellite.
The Guineans also listen to foreign radio stations. Foreign TV channels are available via satellite or cable, but few can afford them.
There are no restrictions on the Internet, but outside the capital few Guineans have access to the Internet.
FACTS – MASS MEDIA
Percentage of the population using the internet
18 percent (2017)
Number of mobile subscriptions per 100 residents
96 (2018)
