Burkina Faso’s SBT to Suspend TV Channels Over Unpaid License Fees

OUAGADOUGOU – Burkina Faso’s television regulatory authority, the Société Burkinabè de Télédiffusion (SBT), has announced its decision to suspend TV channels that are not up to date with their licensing fees. This move comes despite a significant reduction in fees offered by the government.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the SBT has stated that starting from Wednesday, November 22, 2023, at 12:00 am, broadcasts from the television stations that have failed to pay their licensing fees will be restricted. This decision follows the SBT’s implementation of a 52% reduction in the cost of broadcasting licenses for DTT programs, a concession granted by the government. Despite this reduction, certain channels have not fulfilled their financial obligations.

The SBT conveyed its regret over the need to enforce these restrictions and extended apologies to viewers of the TNT bouquet affected by the suspension. The authority emphasized that all efforts to amicably recover the dues were unsuccessful, leading to this stringent measure.