Dakar, Jan 3 (APS) – The Minister of Communication, Telecommunications and Digital Affairs, Alioune Sall, assured press companies, Friday, in Dakar, of the government’s desire to adopt, during the first quarter of this year, an updated advertising law, with the aim of improving the regulation of the sector.
The update integrates, among other aspects, new devices taking into account the development of digital and information and communication technologies, according to the minister.
”We are working together with stakeholders to update the law on the advertising code and ensure that the National Assembly can vote on it during the first quarter of 2025, so that the sector is more structured.” , declared Mr. Sall on the sidelines of a workshop devoted to the preliminary draft of the said law.
The advertising law in force dates from 1964, he recalled, adding that it was revised in 1983 and was never accompanied by an implementing decree.
It is therefore “obsolete”, according to Alioune Sall. This law does not take into account the development of information and communication technologies.
It also does not take into account the digital evolution of the media, which generates more than two thirds of advertising revenue, notably via GAFAM, the internet giants, namely Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft, reported the minister, a computer systems and telecommunications engineer, former executive of SFR, a French operator.
In order to modernize the media environment, the State is working on a “formalization” of advertising, with several objectives, according to Alioune Sall.
According to him, this ”formalization” will serve to protect media professionals, to guarantee greater transparency, to standardize procedures and texts, from the central administration to local authorities.
It will protect consumers at the same time, assured Mr. Sall.
Faced with “generalized anarchy” which prevails in this sector where “we do not know who is advertising and who is not”, in addition to the dissemination of “content harmful to health and social cohesion”, the minister considers it ”essential” to carry out this reform, the revision of the law which regulates advertising.
He believes that it is essential to identify all advertising agencies, consulting agencies and other advertising players in Senegal, to achieve the set objectives.
The president of the Association of Advertising Networks of Senegal, Abdoulaye Thiam
Alioune Sall also recommends the payment of a state subsidy similar to that granted to the media sector, the press support fund, which is 1.9 billion CFA francs.
”Advertising agencies have never benefited from state support,” he admitted.
People working in advertising, including the president of the Association of Advertising Networks of Senegal, Abdoulaye Thiam, members of the Coordination of Press Associations and representatives of the National Audiovisual Regulatory Council took part in the meeting .
Mr. Thiam welcomed the holding of the workshop on the draft bill and said he hoped that its adoption would contribute to the regulation of advertising.
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