Burkina Faso’s media regulator has imposed a second and substantially larger fine on French pay-TV operator Canal+, alleging that the company has failed to comply with requirements to provide continued access to the country’s public television channels.
The Higher Council for Communication (CSC) announced a penalty of US$350,000, four times the fine issued in June after the regulator concluded that Canal+ had not met its regulatory obligations.
Under rules introduced by the Burkinabe authorities, Canal+ is required to ensure that the channels of the national broadcaster, Radiodiffusion-Télévision du Burkina (RTB), remain accessible to subscribers even after their paid subscriptions have expired.
The obligation stems from a 2024 agreement between Canal+ International and the CSC, which requires the operator to carry RTB’s public television channels free of charge for viewers in Burkina Faso.
According to the regulator, Canal+ did not implement the required measures within the 30-day compliance period that followed the initial sanction.
In a statement, CSC President Louis Modeste Ouedraogo said the regulator had “regretfully noted” that its earlier decision had not been implemented within the prescribed deadline, prompting the imposition of the increased fine.
The latest regulatory action comes amid heightened government oversight of the country’s media sector. Burkina Faso has been under military rule since Captain Ibrahim Traoré assumed power following a coup in 2022.
Since then, the authorities have suspended the operations of several international media organisations, including France’s RFI and France 24, while several foreign journalists have been expelled from the country.
The military government has also faced criticism from rights organisations and international observers over restrictions on press freedom and dissent, particularly concerning reporting on the country’s ongoing security challenges linked to extremist violence.
