Financial crisis in privately owned media puts Senegal’s press freedom at risk

A Senegalese woman reads the headlines of the newspapers on sale in a street in Dakar during the political crisis, February, 2024. © SEYLLOU / AFP

Senegal’s press is facing a worsening financial crisis, impacted by cuts to public subsidies and the collapse of advertising revenue. At its centre is the restructuring of Youssou N'Dour's Futurs Médias group, but other privately owned companies are now facing similar challenges and asking for government support.

The Futurs Médias group (GFM) – which owns leading Senegalese media outlets including newspaper L'Observateur, radio station RFM and television channel TFM – says it is experiencing an "unprecedented" crisis.