Benin’s Haute Autorité de l’Audiovisuel et de la Communication (HAAC) has signed operating conventions with 89 online media outlets, formalising their activities within the country’s regulated audiovisual and press environment.
The agreements cover several categories of online services, including online audiovisual communication services and online written press. The signing was chaired by HAAC president Edouard Loko and attended by the regulator’s advisers and representatives of the outlets concerned, according to Adweknow on 7 October.
The move represents a significant shift from enforcement towards formalisation for Benin’s rapidly developing online media sector. Over the past two years, HAAC has intensified action against unregistered operators, including shutting down non-compliant services and sealing equipment used by television services broadcasting illegally via satellite.
By bringing 89 outlets into a formal operating framework, the regulator is establishing a clearer reference point for the market. A publicly recognised group of authorised services can provide greater certainty for advertisers, distribution platforms, content partners and other commercial stakeholders seeking to work with online media businesses in Benin.
The categorisation is also significant for the development of digital broadcasting regulation. The distinction between online audiovisual communication services and online written press provides an indication that the regulator is moving towards differentiated treatment of digital media based on the nature of the service being provided.
For broadcasters and content companies expanding across Francophone Africa, the development highlights the importance of understanding national registration and authorisation requirements as traditional broadcasting regulation increasingly extends into online distribution.
The conventions also create a more structured environment for the growth of legitimate online media operators. Rather than relying primarily on enforcement against unregistered services, the regulator now has a defined group of recognised operators with which it can engage on compliance, advertising, distribution and future regulatory requirements.
For the wider African media industry, Benin’s approach illustrates how regulators are attempting to bring online audiovisual services into established media governance frameworks as digital platforms become an increasingly important part of the broadcasting ecosystem.
