Editing Mass media in Liberia

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[[File:Monrovia 3349747776 dbfca1560f.jpg|thumb|250px|A Cellcom Liberia antenna in Monrovia (2009).]]

'''Mass media in Liberia''' include the press, radio, television, fixed and mobile telephones, and the Internet.

Much of Liberia's communications infrastructure was destroyed or plundered during the [[First Liberian Civil War|two civil wars]] (1989–1996 and 1999–2003).<ref name=reform/> With low rates of adult literacy and high poverty rates, television and newspaper use is limited, leaving radio as the predominant means of communicating with the public.<ref>[http://www.audiencescapes.org/country-profiles-liberia-country-overview-quantitative-survey-qualitative-analysis-research "Introduction to Communication and Development in Liberia"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307051722/http://www.audiencescapes.org/country-profiles-liberia-country-overview-quantitative-survey-qualitative-analysis-research |date=2014-03-07 }}, AudienceScapes. Retrieved 8 February 2014.</ref>

Even as it struggles with economic and political constraints, Liberia's media environment is expanding. The number of registered newspapers and radio stations (many of them community stations) is on the rise despite limited market potential. And politically critical content and investigative pieces do get published or broadcast.<ref>[http://www.audiencescapes.org/media-environment-development-Liberia-quantitative-qualitative-analysis-research "Media Environment and Regulation in Liberia"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304031431/http://www.audiencescapes.org/media-environment-development-Liberia-quantitative-qualitative-analysis-research |date=2016-03-04 }}, AudienceScapes. Retrieved 8 February 2014.</ref>

==Press==
The main newspapers are:<ref>[http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/ssrg/africa/liberia/liberianews.html "Liberia Newspapers and News on the Internet"], Africa South of the Sahara, Stanford University Libraries. Retrieved 8 February 2014.</ref>
* ''[[The Analyst (newspaper)|The Analyst]]''<ref name=lmc>[http://allafrica.com/stories/200809161188.html "Liberia: LMC Extols Media Institutions"], ''The NEWS'', 16 September 2008, AllAfrica. {{subscription required}}</ref><ref name=britannica>{{cite encyclopedia |url= https://www.britannica.com/place/Liberia/Cultural-life |access-date= 21 August 2017 |encyclopedia= Encyclopædia Britannica |title= Liberia: Media and Publishing}}</ref>
*Pumah Times Newspaper 
* ''[[Liberian Observer|Daily Observer]]'' (est. 1981), private.<ref name=lmc/><ref name=BBCNews-LiberiaProfile-2012/><ref name=britannica />
* ''[[The Daily Talk]]''<ref>{{cite news|title=All the News That Fits: Liberia's Blackboard Headlines|author=Lydia Polgreen|date=4 August 2006|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/04/world/africa/04liberia.html?pagewanted=all}}</ref>
* ''[[FrontPage Africa]]'', private.<ref name=BBCNews-LiberiaProfile-2012/>
* ''[[The Inquirer (Liberia)|The Inquirer]]'', private daily.<ref name=BBCNews-LiberiaProfile-2012>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13729507 "Liberia profile"], ''BBC News'', 14 March 2012.</ref>
* ''National Chronicle''<ref name=bbc>"Media regulator recommends support for local media coverage of truth commission", BBC Monitoring Africa, 27 June 2008.</ref>
* ''The New Dawn'', private daily.<ref name=BBCNews-LiberiaProfile-2012/>
* ''New Democrat''<ref name=lmc/>
* ''[[New Republic Liberia]]''<ref name="lmc2">Alphonso been in the profession for over twenty years. He has worked for many international media outlets  including: West Africa Magazine, Africa Week Magazine, African Observer and  did occasional reporting for CNN, BBC World Service, Sunday Times, NPR, Radio Deutchewells, Radio Netherlands. He is the current correspondent for Reuters.

Mr. Toweh holds first MA with honors in International  Relations and a  candidate for second master in International Peace studies and Conflict  Resolution. {{subscription required}}</ref>

Defunct newspapers and magazines include:{{sfn|Falola|2015}}
* ''Africa League''
* ''African Nationalist''<ref name=LC>{{cite web |url= https://www.loc.gov/rr/news/bound/frn/frnbnd.html |access-date= 22 August 2017 |title=Liberia |work=19th and 20th Century Foreign Newspapers in Original Format: Inventory |author=Newspaper & Current Periodical Room |publisher=[[U.S. Library of Congress]] |location=Washington DC }}</ref>
* ''Africa's Luminary'' (est. 1839)
* ''Amulet'' (est. 1839)
* ''Daily Listener'' (est. 1950)
* ''Footprints Today'' (est. 1984)
* ''The Friend''
* ''Independent Weekly''
* ''Journal of Commerce and Industry''
* ''Liberia and West Africa'' (ceased in 1932)
* ''[[Liberia Herald]]'' (est. 1826)<ref name=Dunn2001>{{cite book|author=D. Elwood Dunn|display-authors=et al |title=Historical Dictionary of Liberia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qt0_RrW8ghkC |publisher=[[Scarecrow Press]] |isbn=978-1-4616-5931-0 |year=2001 |edition=2nd }}</ref>
* ''Liberian Age'' (est. 1946)
* ''Liberian Herald''
* ''Liberian News''<ref name=LC />
* ''Liberian Recorder'' (est. 1897)
* ''Liberian Star'' (est. 1839)
* ''Monrovia Observer'' (est. 1878)
* ''Palm Magazine''
* ''SunTimes''
* ''Weekly Mirror''<ref name=LC />
* ''Whirlwind''<ref name=LC />


== Radio ==
{{main|List of radio stations in Liberia}}
* [[Receiver (radio)|Radios]]: 790,000 radio receivers (1997).{{update after|2014|2|7}}
* [[Radio broadcasting|Radio stations]]: 1 state-owned radio station, but no national public service broadcaster;<ref>[http://www.audiencescapes.org/country-profiles-liberia-matrix-radio-stations-community-radio-monrovia-george-weah "Most Used Media Outlets in Liberia"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221183937/http://www.audiencescapes.org/country-profiles-liberia-matrix-radio-stations-community-radio-monrovia-george-weah |date=2014-02-21 }}, AudienceScapes. Retrieved 8 February 2014.</ref> about 15 independent radio stations broadcasting in [[Monrovia]], with another 25 local stations operating in other areas; transmissions of 2 international broadcasters are available (2007).<ref name=CIAWFB-Liberia-2014>[https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/liberia/ "Communications: Liberia"], ''World Factbook'', U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, 28 January 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2014.</ref>
** BBC World Service 103 FM.<ref name=BBCNews-LiberiaProfile-2012/>
** ELBC FM, public.<ref name=RSW-2014>[http://radiostationworld.com/locations/liberia/radio_websites.asp "Liberia: Radio Station Websites"], Radio Station World. Retrieved 8 February 2014.</ref>
** ELWA FM and SW, private, religious-Christian.<ref name=BBCNews-LiberiaProfile-2012/>
**Pumah FM 106.3
** LUX 106.6 FM, [[University of Liberia]].
** Radio Liberia FM, operated by the state-run [[Liberian Broadcasting System]] (LBS).<ref name=BBCNews-LiberiaProfile-2012/><ref name=britannica />
** Radio Veritas FM and SW, religious-Catholic.<ref name=bbc/>
** RFI English FM, the English service of [[Radio France Internationale]].<ref name=RSW-2014/>
**[[Sky FM]]<ref name=BBCNews-LiberiaProfile-2012/>
**[[STAR Radio]] FM and SW, operated in partnership with Swiss-based [[Hirondelle News Agency|Hirondelle Foundation]].<ref name=lmc/><ref name=BBCNews-LiberiaProfile-2012/><ref>[http://www.mediafrica.net/News_Popup.asp?Id=2442 "Liberia: Press Union names Star Radio as radio station of year"], BBC Monitoring Africa, 30 July 2008.</ref>
** Truth FM<ref name=lmc/>
** UNMIL Radio FM, operated by the [[UNMIL|United Nations mission]].<ref name=BBCNews-LiberiaProfile-2012/>
** Voice of Firestone Liberia 89.5 FM<ref>{{cite news |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201003040833.html |title=Firestone launches radio station 89.5 FM |date=3 March 2010 |work=The Informer |publisher=AllAfrica |access-date=9 March 2010}} {{subscription required}}</ref>

== Television ==
* [[Television set]]s: 70,000 sets (1997).{{update after|2014|2|7}}
*Pumah TV Channel 4
* [[Television broadcasting|Television stations]]: 4 private TV stations, none with national reach;<ref name=BBCNews-LiberiaProfile-2012/> satellite TV service available (2007).<ref name=CIAWFB-Liberia-2014/>
** Clar TV, private.<ref name=BBCNews-LiberiaProfile-2012/>
** DC TV, private.<ref name=BBCNews-LiberiaProfile-2012/>
** Power TV, private.<ref name=BBCNews-LiberiaProfile-2012/>
** Real TV, private.<ref name=BBCNews-LiberiaProfile-2012/>
* [[Liberia Broadcasting System]]: Government owned Liberia National Television (LNTV).

==Telephones==
[[File:ComiumBuildingLiberia 2006.jpg|thumb|300px|The Comium mobile phone building (2006).]]
{{See also |Telephone numbers in Liberia}}

* [[Calling code]]: +231 <ref>https://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-t/opb/sp/T-SP-E.164C-2011-PDF-E.pdf</ref>
* [[List of international call prefixes|International call prefix]]: 00<ref>[http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-t/opb/sp/T-SP-E.164C-2011-PDF-E.pdf ''Dialing Procedures (International Prefix, National (Trunk) Prefix and National (Significant) Number) (in Accordance with ITY-T Recommendation E.164 (11/2010))''], Annex to ITU Operational Bulletin No. 994-15.XII.2011, International Telecommunication Union (ITU, Geneva), 15 December 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2014.</ref>
* Main lines: 3,200 lines in use, 213th in the world (2011).<ref name=CIAWFB-Liberia-2014/>
* Mobile cellular: 2.4 million lines, 138th in the world (2012).<ref name=CIAWFB-Liberia-2014/> 
* Telephone system: the limited services available are found almost exclusively in the capital Monrovia; fixed-line service stagnant and extremely limited; telephone coverage extended to a number of other towns and rural areas by four mobile-cellular network operators; mobile-cellular subscription base growing and teledensity reached 50 per 100 persons (2011).<ref name=CIAWFB-Liberia-2014/>
* [[Communications satellite|Satellite earth stations]]: 1 [[Intelsat]] ([[Atlantic Ocean]]) (2010).<ref name=CIAWFB-Liberia-2014/> 
* [[List of international submarine communications cables|Communications cables]]: [[ACE (cable system)|Africa Coast to Europe]] (ACE) cable system, links countries along the west coast of Africa to each other and on to [[Portugal]] and [[France]].<ref>[http://www.ace-submarinecable.com/ace/default/EN/all/ace_fr/ "ACE: Africa Coast to Europe"], Orange SA. Retrieved 8 February 2014.</ref>

The [[fixed line]] infrastructure of Liberia was nearly completely destroyed during the [[First Liberian Civil War|civil wars]] (1989-1996 and 1999-2003).<ref name=reform>{{cite web | url=http://www.ppiaf.org/sites/ppiaf.org/files/publication/PPIAF-Impact-Stories-Reforming-Liberia-Telecom-Sector.pdf | title=PPIAF Supports Telecommunications Reform and Liberalization in Liberia | publisher=Public-Private Infrastructure Facility (PPIAF) | date=July 2011 | access-date=3 September 2011}}</ref>

Prior to the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 2007, the state-owned [[Liberia Telecommunications Corporation]] (LIBTELCO) held a [[legal monopoly]] for all fixed line services in Liberia, and remains the sole licensed fixed line telephone service provider in the country.<ref>[http://www.libtelco.com.lr/about%20us.html "About Us"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222152700/http://www.libtelco.com.lr/about%20us.html |date=2014-02-22 }}, Liberia Telecommunications Corporation. Retrieved 7 February 2014.</ref>

Two licensed [[GSM]] cellular mobile service providers operate in the country: [[Lonestar Cell]] and CellCom. Approximately 45% of the population has cell phone service.<ref name=reform/>

==Internet==
* [[Top-level domain]]: [[.lr]]<ref name=CIAWFB-Liberia-2014/>
* [[List of countries by number of Internet users|Internet users]]: 
** 317,717 users; 7.3% of the population, 158th in the world (2016 est.).<ref name=NIUCalc>Calculated using penetration rate and population data from [https://www.census.gov/population/international/data/idb/rank.php "Countries and Areas Ranked by Population: 2012"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170329060848/https://www.census.gov/population/international/data/idb/rank.php |date=2017-03-29 }}, Population data, International Programs,  U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 26 June 2013.</ref><ref name=ITU-IndividualsUsingTheInternet>[http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Documents/statistics/2013/Individuals_Internet_2000-2012.xls "Percentage of Individuals using the Internet 2000-2012"], International Telecommunication Union (Geneva), June 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2013.</ref>
** &nbsp;&nbsp;20,000 users, 194th in the world (2009).<ref name=CIAWFB-Liberia-2014/>
* [[List of countries by number of broadband Internet subscriptions|Fixed broadband]]: 78 subscriptions, 193rd in the world; less than 0.05% of the population, 192nd in the world (2012).<ref name=NIUCalc/><ref name="FixedBroadbandITUDynamic2012">[http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ICTEYE/Reporting/DynamicReportWizard.aspx "Fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants 2012"], Dynamic Report, ITU ITC EYE, [[International Telecommunication Union]]. Retrieved on 29 June 2013.</ref>
* [[List of countries by number of broadband Internet subscriptions|Wireless broadband]]: Unknown (2012).<ref name="MobleBroadbandITUDynamic2012">[http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ICTEYE/Reporting/DynamicReportWizard.aspx "Active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants 2012"], Dynamic Report, ITU ITC EYE, [[International Telecommunication Union]]. Retrieved on 29 June 2013.</ref>
* [[List of countries by number of Internet hosts|Internet hosts]]: 7 hosts, 228th in the world (2012).<ref name=CIAWFB-Liberia-2014/>
* [[IPv4]]: 13,312 addresses allocated, less than 0.05% of the world total, 3.4 addresses per 1000 people (2012).<ref>[http://www.countryipblocks.net/country-blocks/select-formats/ Select Formats] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090513033601/http://www.countryipblocks.net/country-blocks/select-formats/ |date=2009-05-13 }}, Country IP Blocks. Accessed on 2 April 2012. Note: Site is said to be updated daily.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070613003851/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2119.html Population], [[The World Factbook]], [[United States]] [[Central Intelligence Agency]]. Accessed on 2 April 2012. Note: Data are mostly for 1 July 2012.</ref>

===Notable commercial websites===

While Liberia's commercial internet sector is still behind the majority of African countries there are still a few classifieds sites:{{citation needed |date=July 2014}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150801230805/http://liberiacommerce.com/ liberiacommerce.com]

===Internet censorship and surveillance===
There are no government restrictions on access to the Internet or reports that the government monitors [[e-mail]] or Internet [[chat rooms]].<ref name=USDOS-CRHRP-Libera>[https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2012&dlid=204136 "Liberia"], ''Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012'', Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, U.S. Department of State, 25 March 2013. Retrieved 7 February 2014.</ref>

The constitution provides for [[freedom of speech]] and [[freedom of the press|press]], and the government generally respects these rights in practice. [[Libel]] and [[national security]] laws place some limits on freedom of speech. Individuals can generally criticize the government publicly or privately without reprisal. Some journalists practice [[self-censorship]].
The constitution prohibits arbitrary interference with privacy, family, home, or correspondence, and the government generally respects these prohibitions in practice.<ref name=USDOS-CRHRP-Libera/>

[[Ellen Johnson Sirleaf|President Sirleaf]] endorsed and signed the [[World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers]]' [[Declaration of Table Mountain]] in [[Monrovia]] on 21 July 2012, committing to the core principles of a free press and calling for the repeal of the criminal [[defamation]] and [[insult]] laws regularly used against journalists.<ref name=USDOS-CRHRP-Libera/>

==See also==

* [[Liberia Telecommunications Corporation]], the sole provider of fixed line telephone services in Liberia.
* [[Cable Consortium of Liberia]], a public-private partnership formed in 2010 to own and operate Liberia's cable landing point for the [[ACE (cable system)|ACE cable system]].
* [[The Liberian Journal]], a US-based Liberian online and print news organization covering issues of interest to Liberians in the Diaspora.
* [[Cinema of Liberia]]

==References==
*{{CIA World Factbook |year=2014}}
*{{US DOS |year=2012}}
{{Reflist |30em}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|author= Frederick Starr|author-link= Frederick Starr|title=Liberia: description, history, problems |location=Chicago |year=1913
|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-7JWAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA29
|chapter=Periodicals of Liberia
|pages=29–31
|isbn= 9780598450234}}
* {{cite journal |title=Press in Liberia |author= Henry B. Cole |journal= Liberian Studies Journal |issn=0024-1989 |location=United States |volume=4 |year= 1971
}}
* {{cite journal |author= D.E.S. Kandakai |title= Role of Research in Development Communication at the Liberian Rural Communications Network |journal= [[Africa Media Review]] |volume=3 |number=1 |url=http://digital.lib.msu.edu/projects/africanjournals/ |via=[[Michigan State University Libraries]], African e-Journals Project |year= 1988
}} {{free access}}
* {{cite journal |author=C. William Allen |title= Soaring Above the Cloud of Mediocrity: The Challenges of the Liberian Press in the Nineties |journal= Liberian Studies Journal |issn=0024-1989 |location=United States |volume=15 |year= 1990
}}
* {{cite journal |author= Lamini A. Waritay |title= Problems and Possibilities for the Formulation of a Comprehensive Communication Policy for Liberia |journal= Africa Media Review |volume=4 |number=2 |url=http://digital.lib.msu.edu/projects/africanjournals/ |via=Michigan State University Libraries, African e-Journals Project |year= 1990
}} {{free access}}
* {{cite journal |author=Momo K. Rogers |title= Liberian Press Under Military Rule |journal= Liberian Studies Journal |issn=0024-1989 |location=United States |volume=21 |year= 1996
}}
* {{cite journal |author=S. S. Deddeh |title= Pushing for Press Freedom in Liberia |journal= [[Journal of Democracy]] |volume= 11 |doi= 10.1353/jod.2000.0033 |year= 2000
|issue= 2 |pages= 159–168 |s2cid= 154493794 }}
* {{cite book |title=Africa South of the Sahara 2003 |series=Regional Surveys of the World |publisher= [[Europa Publications]] |issn= 0065-3896 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=1KBP7QbalX0C |year=2003 
|chapter= Liberia: Directory: the Press |page= 586 
|isbn=9781857431315 }} (Includes information about broadcast media)
* {{cite book |author= Carl Patrick Burrowes |title=Power And Press Freedom In Liberia, 1830-1970: The Impact Of Globalization And Civil Society On Media-government Relations|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FaEs88IpUzEC |publisher=Africa World Press |location=Trenton, NJ, and Asmara, Eritrea |isbn=978-1-59221-294-1 |year=2004 
}}
* {{cite book|editor1=Toyin Falola|editor-link=Toyin Falola|editor2=Daniel Jean-Jacques|title=Africa: an Encyclopedia of Culture and Society |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YjoVCwAAQBAJ|year= 2015 |publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-59884-666-9 
|chapter= Liberia: Media
|pages=687+
|ref= {{harvid|Falola|2015}}
}}
* {{citation |url= https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-press/2016/liberia |title= Liberia |work=Freedom of the Press |oclc=57509361 |year=2016 |publisher=[[Freedom House]] |location=United States 
}}

==External links==
*[http://psg.com/dns/lr/ Liberia Domain Registration (.lr)]
* {{cite web |url= http://library.stanford.edu/africa-south-sahara/browse-topic/news-country |editor=Karen Fung, [[African Studies Association]] |title= News (by country): Liberia |work=Africa South of the Sahara |via=Stanford University |location=United States |quote=Annotated directory }}
* {{cite web |url= https://www.crl.edu/sites/default/files/d6/attachments/pages/CAMP%20Newspaper%20list%202012.pdf |title=Newspapers Held in Microform: Liberia |work= Cooperative Africana Materials Project |publisher= [[Center for Research Libraries]] |location=United States |year=2012 }}

{{Clear}}
{{Liberia topics}}
{{Africa in topic|Communications in}}
{{Africa topic|Media of}}
{{Telecommunications}}
{{Internet censorship by country}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Communications In Liberia}}
[[Category:Mass media in Liberia| ]]
[[Category:Internet censorship by country|Liberia]]
[[Category:Mass media by country|Liberia]]
[[Category:Mass media in Africa by country|Liberia]]