Société nouvelle de presse et d’édition de Côte d’Ivoire (SNPECI) is a state-owned publishing house in Côte d’Ivoire whose main title is Fraternité Matin, a widely read tabloid newspaper. The publication was established in 1964.
Media assets
Publishing: Fraternite Matin
State Media Matrix Typology: Independent State-Funded and State-Managed (ISFM)
Ownership and governance
According to our database, SNPECI is a state-owned company. The government, as its sole shareholder, appoints its management. The media also refers to SNPECI as a state-owned company.
Source of funding and budget
Fraternite Matin has been faced with significant financial problems in recent years. In 2018, it had a turnover of XOF 116m (US$ 210,000), a decline of some XOF 34m compared to two years before. The entire group that publishes Fraternite Matin, SNPECI had a turnover of XOF 4.8bn (US$ 8.5m) in 2017, according to the latest data available. SNPECI generates funding through sales of copies and advertising. Yet, as the government covers its losses, it is safe to categorize the publisher as predominantly state-funded. In the decade between 2011 and 2021, the daily press industry in Cote d’Ivoire saw its revenues tumble from XOF 6bn to XOF 2bn, a strong indication of the hardship that print media in the country have been facing.
Editorial independence
There are no editorial rules requiring SNPECI to favorably cover the authorities. According to local journalists and experts, the publisher (especially its main newspaper, Fraternite Matin) enjoys editorial freedom in spite of officials trying, from time to time, unsuccessfully, to pressure the newspaper’s management. According to an ad hoc content analysis, Fraternite Matin’s content also does not identify any pro-government bias.
No statute and no independent oversight or assessment mechanism to validate the editorial independence of SNPECI’s publications have been identified.
July 2024