Media in Burkina Faso

Print media can be established by declaration without prior authorization. A newspaper providing general information requires at least three professional journalists, while an online journal requires at least two. Online publications must name a publication director and clearly identify advertising. Image rights, privacy and copyright also apply to digital services. The existence declaration for an online enterprise is submitted free of charge based on the information required by the CSC; a copy is sent to the CSC. For a .bf domain, ARCEP may require, depending on the case, a stamped application, a certified copy of the Burkinabè national identity card (CNIB) or passport, and further evidence. Processing takes approximately three to fourteen working days, while costs may vary. For online press, national ownership must account for at least 51 percent of the capital. No person, company or political party may hold 51 percent in more than two online press enterprises each. State support for media is legally possible; the award rules are governed by the applicable provisions. Private radio and television stations need prior CSC approval following an application procedure. The procedure distinguishes between commercial, community or associative, and confessional services. ARCEP assigns the frequency at the CSC's request; this is followed by the CSC decision, an agreement and terms of operation (cahier des charges) setting out the operating conditions. Public institutions may receive frequencies outside an application procedure where technical feasibility and availability exist. An authorization is valid for ten years and may be renewed. After authorization, a radio station must generally start within 18 months and a television station within 24 months; an extension of up to six months may be possible. The application procedure is free of charge, and processing times vary. The business plan must include technical and administrative documents, a financial plan and the CVs of at least two professional employees. Commercial providers must also account for ARCEP and the Burkinabè Copyright Office (Bureau burkinabè du droit d'auteur (BBDA)) fees as well as taxes. Advertising time is limited to a maximum of twelve minutes per hour for commercial stations and six minutes for non-commercial stations. The music share is at least 40 percent for commercial stations and 60 percent for non-commercial stations. Simultaneous rebroadcast of a foreign or local radio program is limited to three hours per day; a contract must be deposited with the CSC for this purpose. Unauthorized broadcasting or a breach of frequency requirements may cost ten to fifteen million F CFA, and twice as much in the event of repetition. Streaming exists as a means of access but is institutionally fragmented. The RTB website provides current news, live radio and live television, as well as an audiovisual archive with links to YouTube. Pay television and its distribution exist through providers whose tariffs depend on the relevant offering. A separate national licensing system for a private streaming platform is not documented. A 2025 government proposal for a unified press and audiovisual law with rules on digital terrestrial television and distributors was not yet a confirmed law in force. Social platforms are used mainly through mobile internet and serve to distribute news and enable informal participation. ARCEP publishes quarterly observations on mobile communications and the internet; in the second quarter of 2024, 27.36 million active SIM cards were reported. This figure describes SIM cards and does not automatically represent individual users or social media accounts. A 2021 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) recorded ever having used the internet among people aged 15 to 49 at 16 percent for women and 41 percent for men; lack of access to mass media was reported for 48 percent of women and 31 percent of men. These figures are historical survey data and not a current measurement of social-platform reach. Journalistic pages and websites remain subject to the applicable media rules even when distributed through social networks. On April 8, 2026, the CSC and the Association of Bloggers of Burkina (Association des blogueurs du Burkina (ABB)) presented the EMIRS project on media, information and social-network literacy and dealing with misinformation; nationwide implementation is not documented. A professional journalist is someone who works full-time, regularly and for payment for a press agency, publication or audiovisual organization. Photojournalists, image reporters, audiovisual technicians and graphic editors may be treated as equivalent. Collectors of information in national languages may be recognized if their employer confirms this activity. A press card application file includes a 300 F CFA form, a stamped application costing 200 F CFA, a CNIB copy, a CV, a declaration, an employer confirmation or a journalism diploma or service record, and three photographs. The press card costs 5,000 F CFA, while a press pass (laissez-passer) costs 2,000 F CFA. Submission may be made directly, through the employer, through a representative or through the Ministry of Communication, Culture, Arts and Tourism. The competent technical committee has twelve members. According to the applicable information, the press card is valid for three years and the laissez-passer for one year; a planned change to five and three years respectively is not yet effective. The press card grants professional status rights, while the laissez-passer does not convey the special privileges of the press card. The Constitution protects press freedom and the right to information. The CSC receives declarations, promotes access to information sources, handles complaints and protects affected persons. Journalistic duties include truthful and honest reporting, respect for sources, accurate quotations and copyright, refraining from bribery, and protecting privacy and dignity. Reports should be balanced and contain no unfounded defamation. Media must provide a right of reply. The CSC may impose warnings, temporary suspensions of no more than one or three months, fines, withdrawal of an authorization or a publication ban. Comment sections and online forums must protect public order, public morality and privacy and must not promote hatred, violence, incitement or anti-civic behavior. Prior moderation and a clear commenting policy help implement these duties in practice. Live call-in programs on radio or television must preserve pluralism and balance; the broadcaster keeps callers' identities and contact details for possible legal clarification. Insults, defamation, interference with privacy, scaremongering, hatred and incitement do not belong in such programs. Contributions and reactions may also appear in print and online press, but remain under the responsibility of the publication director. Online services for children and young people must not contain pornographic content, discrimination, hatred, drugs, violence, calls to commit crimes or violations of human dignity. The sale and advertising to minors of indecent or pornographic content, as well as content that promotes crime or violence, are prohibited. Advertising must protect minors, their privacy and their dignity. Official guidance also places responsibility for supervision and filtering on guardians and providers. A separate state body for youth streaming is not documented. Radio remains a particularly accessible news channel where network coverage, electricity supply and reception are available. Mobile data allowances, network coverage and device prices may limit digital use; current tariffs should be checked against the offerings of the relevant operators and ARCEP observations. In conflict-affected areas, additional risks exist through news deserts, pressure, abductions or arrests. Security and military topics require at least two independent sources because official access does not replace independent confirmation.