"From the beginning of the process of opening up in the early 1990s, to the start of the 2000s, Francophone countries in Africa have been seen as ‘in transition‘, ‘emerging democracies‘ or ‘undergoing democratic consolidation‘. Their media were analysed through the lens of the ‘transition‘ paradigm. But these regimes are not ‘on their way to democracy‘: they are meant to remain as they are, mixing democratic features and authoritarian traits. Their media landscape reflects this situation, showing both characteristics of a democratic media system and some authoritarian features, generally in hidden form. These media systems can therefore be labeled ‘pluralist authoritarian‘, which seems to be a contradiction at first glance, until a distinction is made between the façade and what lies beneath. In the façade we see a pluralist media landscape, a market open to private initiatives, an absence of a priori control over media content, a diversity of political parties able to interact with media outlets, and journalists who have gained autonomy through the establishment of their own principles of conduct, professional organisations and self-regulatory bodies. But behind the façade, media outlets have to face maneuvering from those in power who wish to control the flow of information through direct political pressure, indirect economic obstacies, dominance on the public media, and manipulation of the legal framework and judicial system. Analysing the media systems of Francophone countries in Africa in the light of the ‘semi-authoritarian‘ paradigm, and not as ‘consolidating democratic media sectors‘ or 'emerging liberal media markets‘, gives a clearer perspective on the issues at stake right now in that part of the continent, and should be a challenge for future researchers publishing in this journal." (Conclusion)