A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood
in an open market is afraid of its people.              – John F. Kennedy

Latin America & the Caribbean

Haiti

   

{This graph represents scores that have been modified by CIMA so that higher scores indicate a better media situation. It is intended to show trends over time; each index measures significantly different factors of press freedom. To see an explanation for how this graph was created, click here.}
 

Freedom House Score: 49 (Partly Free) [Freedom House Methodology]
{Lower is Better, Score Ranges from 0 to 100}  

 

RSF Score: 16.38 [RSF Methodology]
{Lower is Better, Score Ranges from 0 to ~120}  


Reporters Without Borders Description:

Journalists and media in Haiti have focused on their survival rather than their freedom since the earthquake that devastated parts of the country on 12 January 2010. They tried to work even as they were victims of the disaster and tried to stay on the air with even fewer resources than ever. The quake, which killed more than 200,000 people in and around Port-au-Prince, destroyed most of the capital’s many radio stations.

Immediately afterwards, only privately-owned Signal FM and Caraïbes FM (which set up a studio in the street), managed to broadcast. Others got back on the air a few days later, strongly backing the relief efforts and defending local culture, and a score of the total of 50 or so eventually resumed operations, some with fewer programmes.

Read more on RSF’s site…

Committee to Protect Journalists Description: [What is the Committee to Protect Journalists?]

Reflecting the devastation across all of Haitian society, the news media suffered massive losses in the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck just west of the capital, Port-au-Prince, on the afternoon of January 12. More than 220,000 people died and 1.5 million were left homeless, according to official estimates. Government offices, schools, hospitals, and entire neighborhoods were reduced to ruins, as was most of the infrastructure supporting Haitian news media. More than 95 percent of commercial and community radio stations--the primary source of news in Haiti--went off the air as their equipment and premises sustained heavy damage, according to Joseph Guyler Delva, president of the local press freedom group SOS Journalistes. The human losses were great as well: At least 30 journalists died in the earthquake and its immediate aftermath, SOS Journalistes reported.

Visit CPJ’s Site for Recent Developments in this Country

 

IFEX News: [What is IFEX?]

Visit IFEX’s Site for Recent News on Media in this Country