Communication (UFPCT), Chadian League of Arab-speaking Journalists (LTJAT), Association of Communication Technicians (ATCOM), etc. 125. The media landscape in Chad from 1998 to date is as follows:  1 public television channel;  2 private television channels;  1 public radio and its regional stations;  26 community and association-owned radio stations;  1 public newspaper;  1 daily newspaper “Le Progrès”;  About twenty private newspapers printed on a more or less regular basis. These newspapers are mostly established in N'Djamena, the capital, and experience difficulties in their distribution throughout the country;  Several information websites; the online press has grown considerably in recent years. 126. Journalists set up the Observatory for Ethical and Professional Conduct of the Media in Chad (ODEMET) so as to better ensure self-regulation within their ranks. 127. In terms of press freedom, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked Chad 127th out of 180 in 2016. This is a slight improvement compared to its rank in 2015 (135/180) and 2014 (139/180). 128. The real issue facing the profession of journalism is the economic viability of media companies, resulting in job insecurity for journalists. One of the major challenges is that of access to information sources by journalists in the private media, to the extent where the Head of State instructed the Government to take the necessary measures to facilitate access for journalists to official information sources. 129. The right to freedom of expression also includes developments in the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector, a flourishing and key sector in the area of communication. 130. Indeed, from independence until the 1990s, the telecommunications policy was implemented directly by the incumbent operator (Office National des Postes et des Télécommunications-ONPT). The telephone was then considered a luxury owing to its very high cost. In 1999, the fixed telephone network had 12,000 subscribers in the whole country, representing a telephone penetration of 0.10% per 100 inhabitants, or 1 telephone per 10,000 inhabitants. Page 34 sur 87

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