Freedom of the Press - Vanuatu (2005)
| Publisher | Freedom House |
| Publication Date | 27 April 2005 |
| Cite as | Freedom House, Freedom of the Press - Vanuatu (2005), 27 April 2005, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4734519a3a.html [accessed 28 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Status: Free
Legal Environment: 4
Political Influences: 9
Economic Pressures: 11
Total Score: 24
Population: n/a
GNI/capita: n/a
Life Expectancy: 67
Religious Groups: Presbyterian (36.7 percent), Anglican (15 percent), Roman Catholic (15 percent), indigenous beliefs (7.6 percent), Seventh-Day Adventist (6.2 percent), Church of Christ (3.8 percent), other (15.7 percent)
Ethnic Groups: Melanesian (98 percent), other [including French, Vietnamese, and Chinese] (2 percent)
Capital: Port Vila
The constitution provides for freedom of the press, and this right has generally been respected. Officials do not interfere with media criticism of government and political leaders, although some private actors have threatened the media after negative reports. Police were called to protect the staff of the Daily Post from assaults in July after the paper printed a disparaging article about the country's foreign minister. A court injunction stymied reporting during the contempt trial of then prime minister Serge Vohor but was lifted when the case was resolved. There is one government-run television station and two radio stations, but they fail to reach the 80 percent of the population living in rural areas. The weekly government newspaper is supplemented by numerous private daily and weekly papers. February saw the launch of a new independent weekly, Ni Vanuatu, the first indigenously owned and full-color publication on the island.
