Côte d’Ivoire’s audiovisual regulator has stepped up engagement with the country’s broadcasting and distribution sector, with its newly appointed president completing a two-week tour of major industry operators.
Pascal Brou Aka, who took office as president of the Haute Autorité de la Communication Audiovisuelle (HACA) in July for a six-year term, visited six broadcasters, editorial organisations and distribution operators between 8 and 23 September.
The tour began on 8 September at Société Ivoirienne de Télédiffusion (SIT), the operator of Côte d’Ivoire’s digital terrestrial television (DTT) multiplex. It continued with visits to public broadcaster RTI on 10 September, NCI on 21 September, and 7 Info and Life TV on 22 September.
The programme concluded on 23 September with visits to A+ Ivoire and Canal+, identified by HACA as a key audiovisual distribution player in the country.
According to the regulator, the visits were intended to provide first-hand insight into operators’ working conditions, understand their operational challenges and support discussions on the future development of Côte d’Ivoire’s audiovisual sector.
The engagement comes as the country’s DTT ecosystem continues to face significant commercial and regulatory challenges. Reported unpaid operator obligations on the DTT platform have exceeded FCFA 7 billion, while discussions around establishing a sustainable economic model for the platform have continued throughout the year.
The regulator also published comprehensive regulatory texts covering DTT and pay-TV bouquets in June, providing a wider framework for the sector.
Against this backdrop, the concentration of meetings with the transmission operator, public broadcaster, major private broadcasters and pay-TV distribution sector within a short period places the regulator’s industry engagement alongside ongoing efforts to address the economics and regulatory structure of Côte d’Ivoire’s audiovisual market.
The inclusion of Canal+ in the programme also brings the country’s dominant pay-TV distribution ecosystem directly into the regulator’s current industry dialogue.
