Laboratoire d’Etude des Médias, de l’Information et de la communication, Département des Sciences du Langage et de la Communication, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
The media play an important role in the development of a nation. On the mechanism of their funding depends the credibility of the information they relay. The objective of this study is to evaluate financing of press organs in Benin. To achieve this objective, we used a methodology based on the qualitative and quantitative approach. So, after a literature review, we administered a questionnaire to press owners. The information collected was related to the year of creation, the reasons which motivated the creation, the frequency, the constitution, the funding sources, start-up amount etc. A total of eighty-seven (87) organizations were investigated. The results revealed that the organs surveyed were created between 1990 and 2015 and the largest number in 2004. The start-up capital varied between 400.000 and 15.000.000 FCFA depending on the type of media. In addition, 85% of press owners said that press is not profitable and keep hoping to receive funding at least one day. The media owners surveyed admit to being objective and credible in the collection, processing and dissemination of information at 86.21% and confirm at 68.97% that they do not offer an editorial advantage to third parties who finance. 38.98% of the companies were created by shareholding (20%) by subsidy and 15.56% under own funds. It then becomes urgent to rethink the financing mechanism for the press in Benin to ensure more efficiency in the media.