Togolese authorities Shutdown Another Radio Station, as Media Protest Against Closure of 3 Others

 Yankuba Jambang, Editor & Publisher, Senegambianews.com

Authorities in the West African state of Togo have shutdown a community entertainment radio station for 'non-adherence to professional standards', the regional media monitoring body, MFWA says in a statement on Friday.

The closure of Radio Carré Jeunes on March 16, will bring to four, the number of private radio stations taken off air by the Togolese government since December of last year.

The Accra-based Media Foundation for West Africa reports:
 

Togo ALERT: Togolese authorities close down another radio station

Togolese authorities on March 16, 2011 closed down Radio Carré Jeunes, a community entertainment station, for an alleged "non-adherence to professional standards".

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)'s correspondent reported that the regulatory body, the Post and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (ART&P), which closed the station down, said it has given Radio Carré Jeunes up to July 2011, to meet its requirements.

This is the fourth station to be closed down by ART&P, which is being accused by SOS Journalistes en Danger media group, ofarrogatingto itself the powers of the High Authority for the Electronic Media and Communications (HAAC).

On December 29, 2010,ART& P closed down X-Solaire, Metropolys and Providence, following accusations of operating illegally since they did not have the required registration documents andstandard broadcasting equipment.

Meanwhile SOS Journalistes en Danger has condemned the latest action of ART&P and has accused it of gagging the media in the country

 Togo UPDATE: Media protest to demand reopening of three radio stations

Most privately-owned radio stations and newspapers in Lome, capital of Togo on March 10, 2011 suspended their normal activities in protest against the continuous closure of three radio stations in December 2010.

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)'s correspondent in Togo reported that while the radio stations played music throughout the day, the newspapers, with the exception of state-owned daily Togo Presseand the privately-owned Forum de la Semaine, were not on the newsstands.

The correspondent said the decision of the journalists to suspend their programmes followed a declaration of "No Press Day" by the media group, SOS Journalistes en danger, to pressurise the Posts and Telecommunications' Regulatory Authority (ART&P) to allow the stations to operate.

The radio stations, namely X-Solaire, Metropolysand Providence, were closed down on December 29, 2010 by theART& P following accusations of operating illegally since they did not have the required registration documents and standard broadcasting equipment.

Since the closure of the stations, there has been a series of press conferences and demonstrations for them to be reopened but have all fallen on deaf ears.

SOURCE: Togolese authorities Shutdown Another Radio Station, as Media Protest Against Closure of 3 Others http://bit.ly/edz2dw

Yimber Gaviria, Colombia