The Haute Autorité de la Communication (HAC) in Guinea has intensified its crackdown on unlicensed web TVs, issuing several bans and warnings in recent weeks. On September 16, the regulator released a warning statement denouncing the "illegal proliferation" of web TVs run by non-professionals. The HAC emphasized that no audiovisual broadcasting on the internet can take place without prior legal authorization.
Five days later, on September 21, the HAC banned ten web TVs and two information websites that had been transformed into video platforms. The banned outlets include Yimbaya Médias TV, Dabola TV, and several others. The HAC prohibited the promoters and animators of these outlets from engaging in any journalistic activity under these brands, threatening them with prosecution if they fail to comply.
The HAC's actions continued on September 24, when Baro TV, based in Kouroussa, was also banned. Its promoter, Lamine Camara, was suspended from all media activities due to a lack of professional journalist qualifications and refusal to comply with regulations. The HAC's decisions aim to sanitize the digital media space and promote professionalism and deontology.
On September 26, the HAC held an extraordinary session, resulting in the immediate ban of four additional platforms: Fewndaare TV, Global TV, Kimanbourou TV, and BTV. According to the HAC, these structures produce and disseminate content without any legal title, causing significant harm to regularly established media and engaging in unfair competition.
The HAC's recent wave of sanctions reflects its commitment to defending professionalism and deontology in the media sector. The regulator has tasked administrative authorities and institutional focal points with strictly enforcing these measures. Operators that fail to comply now face judicial prosecution.
The crackdown on unlicensed web TVs has significant implications for Guinea's media landscape. The HAC's actions aim to promote a more regulated and professional media environment, which could ultimately enhance the quality and credibility of information available to the public.
The HAC's efforts to sanitize the digital media space may also have broader regional implications, as other countries in West Africa face similar challenges related to regulating online media. The outcomes of Guinea's regulatory efforts will be closely watched by media stakeholders and regulators across the region.
Key points
- The HAC has banned a total of 15 web TVs and two information websites since mid-September.
- The regulator emphasizes that prior legal authorization is required for all audiovisual broadcasting on the internet.
- The HAC's actions aim to promote professionalism and deontology in Guinea's media sector.
