Online Newspapers, Live TV Channels, Radios

The media outlets of Mauritania are undergoing a transition for some reasons. The media outlets have started feeling the changes after the coup in 2005. Earlier, the mass media was subject to domination and now the scenario has changed to a great extent. The press freedom is allowed on the country to a greater extent than before. In fact, the journalistic environment in the country has changed to a great extent and the journalists are now free to exercise their opinions which they could not do before.

The media outlets are being run mostly by the private initiatives but there are some state-run outlets are prevailing as well. But the outlets are not as popular as the private outlets are. Actually, the private media outlets have the idea what the people want and they serve the news and information accordingly. So, they are on the top of the list in the present days. However, the state-run media outlets have some importance on some aspects and they often play the lead role in some cases.

Before the coup of 2005, the media outlets have suffered a wide number of troubles from the government. Even, the imprisonment of journalists has taken place for violating some laws and rules. But at present, there are no such matters, and they are free to express their thoughts and opinions but to a limited extent. In fact, a self-censorship is imposed in the country’s media outlets. And almost all the outlets exercise this. Besides, the journalists are also to obey some specific rules and regulations. They are not expected to criticize Islam.

Events like crackdown on media had taken place in 2008. At that time, the journalists from radio and television had suffered different types of struggles. But the other types of media outlets were free to express their thoughts. And the journalists had fallen into financial troubles. Most of the media outlets were unable to pay properly to the journalists. They were poorly paid and thus they edited news and information based on the business or political interests in order to get paid.

Most of the media outlets use the Arabic language as their medium to publish or broadcast news and information. Besides, the French and some other local dialects are also available in the media industry. The media outlets, particularly the print media outlets are under the scanner of the government. A large number of the newspapers are not published in a daily basis. And the copies need pre-publication review. In fact, a government body is there to check the newspaper contents before they go for publication.

Around 11 newspapers are available in the country and they mostly come with the Arabic and the French language. They come up with the wide number of news and information for the readers. But the newspaper readership in the country is lower than the neighboring countries. And they are to strictly follow some censorship rules and regulations so that there are no anarchies created for their reports on the newspapers.

At present, the country has a single state-run television stations and it broadcasts in Arabic and French language. The contents of the television are varied and the audience. The television has some six regional stations to relay the programs across the nation.

Three radio stations have been operating in the country and they broadcast in both the Arabic and French language. The number of audience for the radio stations is more than the other types of media outlets.

The use of the internet is not so much available in the country and so the internet-based media has not grown in the country to an adorable extent.