The National Council for Broadcast and Communication (CNCA), a media regulatory body in Cote d’ Ivoire issued a directive banning all foreign radio and TV channels in the country from covering the political crisis that was going on in the country.
The CNCA announced the ban in a communiqué read by its secretary general, Félix Nanihio, during a news broadcast on state-owned TV at 20 hours GMT.
The communiqué signed by the CNCA chairman, Franck Andesson, said the directive was necessary to “maintain social peace that has been badly shaken.”
The CNCA’s ban followed the provisional results of the second round of presidential election announced by the Independent Electoral Commission which gave victory to opposition candidate Alassane Ouattara over incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo.
All foreign channels and Pan-African channels such as TF1, France 24, Africa 24, and Vox Africa were suspended. The FM outlet of Radio France Internationale (RFI) was also banned.
