SIERRA LEONE
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The media landscape in Sierra Leone is diverse and generally independent. It includes 191 radio stations, 23 television channels, 229 newspapers, 24 magazines, and 11 digital satellite television channels. In addition to the public radio and television broadcaster SLBC, the most important private media are AYV TV, Democracy Radio, Awoko, Standard Times Newspapers, and NewsWatch Magazine. Community radios cover a large part of the country and are accessible to a wide portion of the population. Online newspaper content, radio and television programs are generally available for free, except for satellite television service providers (DSTV) and digital television (DTV). As in many African countries, radio remains the most popular medium for accessing information, especially since many programs are offered in local languages. Sierra Leone has about forty radio stations, more than half of which are community radios. Only two television channels are available in the country. However, the penetration rate of the Internet remains low, with only 3% of users, due to a lack of infrastructure and the economic difficulties of the population. |
