In Burkina Faso, the media have now received the subsidy of FCFA 350 million for the coverage of the presidential and parliamentary elections, scheduled for this 29 November 2015. The announcement was made in a communiqué published on 3 November by the Superior Council of Communication (CSC). The sharing of this fund had started on 16 September 2015. But the operation was interrupted following the military coup which occurred on the same day.

If the amount of the public subsidy is of FCFA 350 million, a portion was handed out in cash form and the remainder as donations of work equipment. About one hundred public and private media structures will benefit from this subsidy. CSC explains that in addition to the equipment, the amounts per media go from FCFA 600,000 to 1,500,000. But FCFA 188,000.000 were shared between the two public media, the Radiodiffusion Télévision Burkina (RTB) and Les Editions Sidwaya, news service of the government.

Every beneficiary media company will have to hand over an activity report and documents justifying the expenditure, starting from the day after the elections. CSC explains that the public support is meant to guarantee citizens’ “right to fair and balanced news for a conscientious and peaceful vote”. The election campaign starts this 6 November for the presidential and on 15 November for the parliamentary.