Abstract

With the current global debate on the appropriate model for media regulation, there is a need to examine the evolution of laws used over the years to regulate the media. Using documentary analysis and a survey, this study examined post-conflict Sierra Leone’s current media laws/codes in a bid to investigate the paradigms (models) of media regulation in the country. The research focused on three primary questions: (1) How have the media in Sierra Leone been regulated over the years? (2) What impact have the regulatory patterns had on the growth of the media in terms of expansion (numbers) and professional practice? (3) What model (s) of media regulation will be effective for media regulation in Sierra Leone in line with international best practice? The study adopted ‘social responsibility’ as the theoretical framework, and used documentary analysis and survey as methods of investigation. It was found that over the years, Sierra Leone has used both statutory and self-regulatory models. However, while international best practice appears to favour self-regulation, Sierra Leone’s regulatory system is mainly statutory to the point that its Media Code of Practice, a supposedly voluntary regulatory instrument, relies on the force of law for its effectiveness.

Key Words:  Media Laws, Media Regulation, Self-Regulation, Statutory Regulation, Regulation.

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*Francis Sowa is a lecturer at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone.

^JCMRJournal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 8, No. 1, April 2016, 141 – 158