Central African Republic
There is journalistic freedom in the Central African Republic to the extent that private newspapers criticize government policies and allegations of corruption, but these are likely permitted because most of the populace both cannot afford them and cannot read them (there is a high rate of illiteracy in the country). Those radio and TV stations that are are state-run provide little to no coverage of the political opposition. It was only until recently, in 2004, that prison terms for press offences were abolished.
Press: There are several daily newspapers, including Le Citoyen (an independent publication), Le Confident (an independent publication) and L'Hirondelle (an independent publication). The weekly publications have limited distribution and are in French. Centrafrique-Presse is a state-owned bi-monthly publication.
TV: Television Centrafricaine is state-run.
Radio: The national state-run broadcaster is Radio Centrafrique. Radio Notre Dame is a Roman Catholic broadcaster based in Bangui. The UN-sponsored Radio Ndeke Luka can be relied upon for a balanced viewpoint. It also often re-broadcasts international news programs. Radio Nostalgie is privately run.
