The media landscape of Gabon has been liberalized since 1991. Nevertheless, it has evolved slowly caused by a media monopoly held since the 1980s. Today however the media is growing in its plurality and diversity. In 2010, the Gabonese authorities had expressed a desire to revise the current laws on media. This Report uses the Media Development Indicators (MDIs) to analyse the different aspects of the media environment in Gabon and make recommendations to aid the government improve the media laws to foster media development in a plural and diverse manner.

Initiated by UNESCO in partnership with UNDP, the assessment of media development in Gabon was published in 2013. The Gabon assessment was conducted by a team of 10 national experts in association with two international experts and UNESCO.

The findings of the Report show that there is a need for a regulatory framework for media development. It also highlights a need for a constitutional guarantee for the right to information and for that information to be made readily available to the public and journalists. Recommendations were made for a better system to identify cases of restriction and violations of freedom of expression and information, and for the removal of restrictions that inhibit the protection of sources. Further recommendations were to promote diversity of media, encourage the implementation of media in rural zones and put in place tax systems which give preference or advantages that will aid the development of media.