Burkina Faso Fines Canal+ Over Public TV Access Breach

Burkina Faso’s media regulator has fined French company Canal+ 50 million CFA francs (€76,200) for allegedly failing to provide uninterrupted access to national public TV channels as required under a 2024 agreement. The regulator gave the company 30 days to comply or face tougher sanctions. The decision comes amid ongoing tensions between Burkina Faso’s military government and Western media, following restrictions and bans on several French outlets in recent years.

Burkina Faso’s media regulator has imposed a fine of 50 million CFA francs, equivalent to about €76,200, on French multimedia company Canal+, according to the Burkina Faso Press Agency.
The sanction was issued by the Higher Council for Communication (CSC), which accused Canal+ of failing to comply with regulatory obligations requiring continuous access to national public television channels for subscribers in the country. According to the regulator, the company did not ensure that these channels remained freely accessible, particularly after subscription periods had expired, as stipulated under existing broadcasting rules.
Authorities explained that a 2024 convention between the state and Canal+ requires the company to maintain uninterrupted transmission of national public channels regardless of subscription status. The aim of the agreement is to guarantee that citizens continue to have access to public information services, even when individual pay-TV subscriptions are not active. The CSC said Canal+ had repeatedly fallen short of these obligations despite prior warnings and reminders issued by the regulator.
Following its assessment, the Higher Council for Communication concluded that Canal+ had breached its contractual and regulatory commitments. The fine was therefore imposed as a corrective measure intended to enforce compliance and ensure that broadcasting standards in the country are respected.
In addition to the financial penalty, the regulator granted Canal+ a further 30-day period to fully restore compliance and ensure uninterrupted access to all required national public television channels. The CSC warned that failure to meet the conditions within the extended timeframe could result in more severe penalties, although it did not specify what additional sanctions might be applied.
The dispute takes place within a broader context of tightening media regulation in Burkina Faso. Since the military authorities took power following the 2022 coup, the country has adopted a more restrictive approach toward foreign media organisations operating within its territory, particularly those based in Western countries.
Over recent years, several international media outlets have faced suspension or restriction. Among them are French broadcasters Radio France Internationale (RFI) and France 24, which were both suspended amid accusations relating to national security concerns and the dissemination of biased or harmful reporting, according to authorities.
In May, further action was taken when French-language broadcaster TV5 Monde was banned from operating in Burkina Faso. The government accused the channel of spreading disinformation and promoting terrorism in its coverage of jihadist violence in neighbouring Mali, a move that further escalated tensions between the authorities and Western media organisations.
The latest action against Canal+ therefore forms part of a wider pattern of regulatory enforcement and reflects ongoing friction between Burkina Faso’s government and foreign media companies, particularly those from France. The authorities have consistently stated that such measures are necessary to protect national interests, ensure responsible broadcasting, and maintain control over the country’s information space as it navigates ongoing security challenges.