Burkina Faso’s military-led government has intensified its standoff with French pay-TV operator Canal+ by imposing a heavier financial penalty over the company’s failure to provide continued access to the country’s public television channels.
The national media regulator announced a 200 million CFA franc fine against Canal+, accusing the broadcaster of violating an agreement that requires state-owned RTB television channels to remain available to viewers even after their paid subscriptions have expired.
The latest sanction is four times larger than the 50 million CFA franc penalty imposed in June for the same offense.
According to the regulator, Canal+ failed to comply with a 30-day deadline to enforce the earlier directive. Under a 2024 agreement between Canal+ International and Burkina Faso’s media watchdog, the broadcaster is required to ensure uninterrupted, free access to RTB’s public channels for all subscribers across the country.
Authorities said the company’s continued failure to meet the agreement left regulators with no choice but to increase the penalty.
The dispute comes as Burkina Faso’s military government continues to tighten its control over the country’s media landscape. Since Captain Ibrahim Traoré took power in a 2022 military coup, the authorities have suspended several international media outlets, including France 24 and Radio France Internationale (RFI), and expelled foreign journalists.
The government has defended its actions as necessary to protect national sovereignty and security during the country’s ongoing battle against jihadist groups. However, media watchdogs and human rights organizations argue that the measures represent a growing crackdown on press freedom and independent journalism.
Canal+, one of Africa’s largest pay-TV providers, has not publicly responded to the latest fine.
