Three private radio stations authorised

Authorities in Guinea have authorised three private radio stations to operate in the country, ostensibly ending a government monopoly on the broadcast media. It was unclear when Radio Liberty FM, Radio Soleil and Radio Nostalgie might begin to broadcast; they have not yet been assigned frequencies. Also approved to run on an FM frequency was Radio France Internationale (RFI). “We are convinced that pluralising the airwaves will remove us from the disinformation, misinformation and marginalisation in our society,” said Information Minister Boubacar Sylla. Official approval for the new broadcasters was granted on Monday. International donors say Guinea must take steps toward democratic reform, such as expanding press freedom, for continued financial aid. “We have made a commitment to the people of this country and in that process we are prepared to endure all of the negative issues that will crop up,” said Abdoulaye Kouyate of Radio Liberty. Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) says every year journalists in Guinea are beaten or detained. Despite this, RSF says, Guinea’s print media have endured. “The satirical press, battered, threatened and attacked, has become very powerful, even though, when the police are sent out on shabby crackdown operations, they don’t make any exceptions,” RSF said in its 2006 annual report. as/cs/nr