Live broadcast of the matches of the next CAN on the ORTB: The great uncertainty

Will the Beninese ball-loving Beninese have the privilege of watching the matches of the next African Cup of Nations? (Can) live on national television ? The question remains two weeks before this continental competition which opens in Cameroon on 9 January 2022.

It has become a tradition to stop almost all activities and remain glued to the television screen throughout the course of major football competitions., notably the World Cup and the Can. More, the great continental mass which begins on 9 Next January in the country of Paul Biya could be an exception, at least for the majority of Beninese who only have ORTB as television broadcasting the matches.

The cause of this uncertainty : nothing has yet filtered out on the government's intentions to release the money necessary for this purpose. Broadcast rights for CAN matches are set at around one (01) billion CFA francs. An amount that the Ortb (national television of Benin) does not own. Indeed, the national advertising market is so meager that it is not reasonable to hope for a mobilization of funds to disburse such a sum.

It is in fact the State which has always put its hands in its pocket to allow the Beninese to follow the matches. And to no avail. This is also the case in most African states where public media do not have a large financial reach.. The billion requested by the African Football Confederation (Caf) also applies to all countries on the continent. But many of them have already met this requirement.

There are even countries that have already released more than what is required in order to be able to offer their viewers additional services. For example, so that journalists from a country have the right to sit in dedicated areas and comment on matches live for their television, you have to pay a certain amount. As well, to interview players on the field, the country must pay. The Ivory Coast, among others, has already purchased all of these services, which will allow Ivorians to follow matches and tailor-made live interviews and comments.

For football fans in Benin, It is not yet too late. A decision in the direction of a financial sacrifice for the pleasure of the population could be taken at any time.

Pierre MATCHOUDO