Freedom of the Press - Barbados (2006)
| Publisher | Freedom House |
| Publication Date | 27 April 2006 |
| Cite as | Freedom House, Freedom of the Press - Barbados (2006), 27 April 2006, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/473451a4c.html [accessed 7 June 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: 3
Political Influences: 8
Economic Pressures: 6
Total Score: 17
Population: n/a
GNI/capita: n/a
Life Expectancy: 72
Religious Groups: Protestant (67 percent), Roman Catholic (4 percent), other (29 percent)
Ethnic Groups: Black (90 percent), white (4 percent), other (6 percent)
Capital: Bridgetown
Freedom of the press is constitutionally guaranteed, and media are generally able to operate without restriction. However, Barbados has not yet passed freedom of information legislation. During the year, representatives of the ruling Barbados Labour Party criticized popular radio call-in programs for failing to educate listeners and for spreading ill-informed criticism of the government. In August, the new regional Caribbean Court of Justice allowed the Starcom Network radio company to challenge the Barbados Court of Appeal's 1999 ruling in favor of a poultry farmer who had won a long-running libel and defamation suit against a radio station regarding allegations that diseased chickens had been supplied to the island's restaurants. There are two daily newspapers and two weeklies, all privately owned. There are nine radio stations, three run by the state-owned Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation, which also operates the only television station. There are no government restrictions on internet access.
