SNIPE
Société Nouvelle d’Impression, de Presse et d’Édition (SNIPE) is a state-dominated media publishing company that oversees some of Tunisia’s most prominent newspapers, including La Presse de Tunisie—a historic French-language daily founded in 1936—and Essahafa, its Arabic-language counterpart.
In July 2023, SNIPE expanded its portfolio by absorbing the Dar Assabah press group, a previously confiscated entity that published four titles, thus reinforcing SNIPE’s dominant presence in the national print media landscape.
Media assets
Publishing: La Presse, Essahafa; Dar Assabah titles: Assabah, Le Temps, Al Ousboui, Sabah Al Khair
State Media Matrix Typology
Captured Public/State-Managed Media (CaPu)
Ownership and governance
SNIPE is structured as a shareholding company, with approximately 73% of its capital held by the state and affiliated public institutions such as the Tunisian Trade Office and the Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP) news agency. The company operates under the direct oversight of the Presidency of the Republic, which retains the authority to appoint the CEO. This centralized governance model has reinforced SNIPE’s status as a key arm of the state media apparatus.
In 2014, Belgacem Tayaa was appointed Chief Executive Officer of SNIPE by the Head of Government. Since then, he has led the state-owned publishing group, overseeing major titles such as La Presse de Tunisie and Essahafa. Before joining SNIPE, Tayaa served as the Contrôleur Général des Services Publics attached to the Présidence du Gouvernement—a senior audit role with broad oversight of Tunisia’s public services.
Source of funding and budget
SNIPE’s operations are sustained through a mix of commercial revenues—predominantly from advertising—and substantial government subsidies. According to company insiders interviewed in May 2024 and March 2025, and corroborated by media reports, SNIPE ranks among the most heavily state-subsidized media organizations in the country.
Between 2020 and 2022, the company received nearly TND 9 million (approx. USD 3 million) in public funds. Budget data for 2023 and 2024 remain undisclosed as of mid-2025, although local observers suggest that allocations have continued at similar levels amid tightening control over the media sector.
Editorial independence
While no formal editorial guidelines have been imposed by the government, SNIPE’s track record suggests a longstanding alignment with state narratives. The company has historically appointed editors with affiliations dating back to the Ben Ali regime, though independent analyses—including a 2020 content review commissioned for this report—did not find direct evidence of editorial interference at that time.
However, the situation has markedly deteriorated since President Kaïs Saïed implemented his “exceptional measures” in July 2021. According to testimonies from local journalists and media observers, SNIPE’s editorial line has increasingly mirrored official positions, reflecting a growing pattern of state influence. This culminated in a joint strike in April 2022 by journalists from across Tunisia’s state media—including SNIPE—protesting governmental meddling in editorial affairs.
As of June 2025, no independent oversight or regulatory body exists to safeguard or assess the editorial autonomy of SNIPE’s publications. The absence of institutional checks has raised concerns among press freedom advocates about the long-term implications for pluralism and journalistic integrity in Tunisia’s public media sphere.
July 2025