Mass media in Panama

Last updated

Panama has been an important mass media hub, because of its strategic location between North and South America. The largest newspapers in Panama are La Prensa, La Estrella, Panama America, Critica, and El Siglo, all of which are published in Panama City. Weekly newspapers include the Critica Libre and La Cronica. All of these are published in Spanish, and are also based in Panama City.

The media of Panama has been highly influenced by that of the United States, since the construction of the Panama Canal. Radio broadcasting in Panama began in 1922, and television broadcasting in 1956. Radio and television broadcasts also reached the Panama Canal Zone because it lay within the vicinity of Panama. A famous military broadcast network, the Southern Command Network (SCN), broadcast in Panama until the United States withdrew from the canal in 1999. The SCN remained on the air for hours during the invasion of Panama by U.S. troops in 1989. Color television in Panama is provided by the NTSC system.

The media was under strict control during the regime of the dictators that ruled Panama from 1968 to 1989, including Manuel Noriega. His regime was noted for the eventual demise of all opposition media while existing media outlets were consistently fed with anti-American propaganda. [1] The newsletter La Prensa was formed in 1981 to oppose his rule. The media of Panama was very anti-American following Noriega's overthrow, and highly influenced the 1994 presidential election.[ citation needed ]

Panama's official broadcaster is National Television of Panama, which was founded in 1961. NTP started Panama's first color television service in 1972.

Freedom of the press is guaranteed in Panama, as is the case in most other countries in the Western Hemisphere. However, reports of harassment and violence against journalists and media outlets persist. During media coverage, journalists have reported instances of being attacked by both protesters and the police. [2] There are also cases of killings. An example was the assassination of Darío Fernández Jaen, who was a government critic and had exposed anomalies in the allocation of land titles in the province of Coclé. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

The mass media in Poland consist of several different types of communications media including television, radio, cinema, newspapers, magazines, and Internet. During the communist regime in Poland the Stalinist press doctrine dominated and controlled Polish media. The country instituted freedom of press since the fall of communism. The Polish media system's main features are the product of the country's socio-political and economic post-communist transition. These features include: the privatisation of the press sector; the transformation of the state radio and television into public broadcasting services; influx of foreign capital into the media market and European integration of audiovisual media policies. Today the media landscape is very plural but highly polarized along political and ideological divides.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Forces Network</span> Broadcast service operated by the United States Armed Forces

The American Forces Network (AFN) is a government television and radio broadcast service the U.S. military provides to those stationed or assigned overseas, and is headquartered at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. AFN comprises two subordinate overseas commands and one directorate in the continental United States. Overseas, AFN Europe is headquartered at Sembach Kaserne, Germany and consists of 15 subordinate stations in the countries of Bahrain, Belgium, Cuba, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Turkey. AFN Pacific is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan and consists of nine stations in the countries of Diego Garcia, Japan, and South Korea. Stations under AFN Europe and AFN Pacific conduct live local radio shows 12 hours a day Monday through Friday, with the exception of U.S. federal holidays. Stateside, AFN's broadcast operations, which include global radio and television satellite feeds, emanate from the AFN Broadcast Center/Defense Media Center in Riverside, California.

Dignity Battalions were paramilitary militia units created by Panama's de facto ruler Manuel Noriega in April 1988 to augment the Panama Defense Forces in defending Panama against possible invasion by the United States and to suppress domestic political opposition to Noriega's regime. They were dissolved on February 10, 1990, following the United States invasion of Panama which removed Noriega from power.

Cuba was the first Latin American country to begin television testing in December 1946 when station CM-21P conducted an experimental multi-point live broadcast. The first regular commercial broadcasting began in October 1950 by the small radio station Union Radio, soon followed by other stations. The broadcasts featured sport, soap operas, news, cooking shows, and comedy. Censorship was imposed following the 1952 coup by Fulgencio Batista, and again by the government of the Cuban revolution after their victory in 1959.

Telecommunications in Panama includes radio, television, fixed and mobile telephones, and the Internet.

The mass media in Nicaragua consist of several different types of communications media: television, radio, cinema, newspapers, magazines, and Internet-based Web sites.

The mass media in Armenia refers to mass media outlets based in Armenia. Television, magazines, and newspapers are all operated by both state-owned and for-profit corporations which depend on advertising, subscription, and other sales-related revenues. Armenia's press freedoms improved considerably following the 2018 Velvet Revolution.

The mass media in Serbia refers to mass media outlets based in Serbia. Both state-owned and for-profit corporations operate television, magazines, and newspapers, which depend on advertising, subscription, and other sales-related revenues. The Constitution of Serbia guarantees freedom of speech.

The print, broadcast and online mass media in Burma has undergone strict censorship and regulation since the 1962 Burmese coup d'état. The constitution provides for freedom of speech and the press; however, the government prohibits the exercise of these rights in practice. Reporters Without Borders ranked Burma 174th out of 178 in its 2010 Press Freedom Index, ahead of just Iran, Turkmenistan, North Korea, and Eritrea. In 2015, Burma moved up to 144th place, ahead of many of its ASEAN neighbours such as Singapore, as a result of political changes in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mass media in Algeria</span>

Algeria has more than 45 independent Arabic language and French language publications as well as 4 government-owned newspapers, but the government controls most printing presses and advertising. The Algerian newspapers with the largest circulations are Echourouk (1,800,000), Ennahar (1,600,000), El Khabar (1,000,000) and Quotidien d'Oran (700,000); all four are employee-owned. In 2004 and 2005, the government increased the access of Berber language and culture to both print and broadcast media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mass media in Kyrgyzstan</span> Mass media in Kyrgyzstan

The mass media in Kyrgyzstan is restricted and the media landscape is dominated by the government. However, there is greater freedom and pluralism in Kyrgyzstan than in other Central Asian countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mass media in Cuba</span> Cuban media

The mass media in Cuba consist of several different types: television, radio, newspapers, and internet. The Cuban media are tightly controlled by the Cuban government led by the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) in the past five decades. The PCC strictly censors news, information and commentary, and restricts dissemination of foreign publications to tourist hotels. Journalists must operate within the confines of laws against anti-government propaganda and the insulting of officials, which carry penalties of up to three years in prison. Private ownership of broadcast media is prohibited, and the government owns all mainstream media outlets.

Mass media in Ivory Coast is controlled by the government. Audiovisual communications are regulated by the Conseil national de la communication audiovisuelle (CNCA), an administrative arm of the national government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuban Institute of Radio and Television</span> State broadcaster of Cuba

The Cuban Institute of Radio and Television was the government agency responsible for the control of radio and television broadcasters in Cuba. On August 24, 2021, the institute ceased to operate and was replaced by the Institute of Information and Social Communication.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conflict between Kirchnerism and the media</span> Media bias controversies during the Kirchner Presidencies

The Argentine Governments of Néstor Kirchner and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner had several conflicts with major media groups. Kirchner accused the Clarín Group, La Nación, Perfil, and related media of having promoted their overthrow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guillermo Ford</span> Panamanian politician (1936–2011)

Guillermo "Billy" Ford Boyd was the Second Vice President of Panama. He was one of the running mates of presidential candidate Guillermo Endara during the 1989 Panamanian election campaign. The election results were annulled by the Noriega regime before counting finished after it had been shown that Endara and Ford's coalition was leading Noriega's backed candidate by a 3 to 1 margin.

La Prensa is a conservative Panamanian newspaper founded in 1980. Established by I. Roberto Eisenmann Jr. during a period of military dictatorship, La Prensa built an international reputation as an independent nationalist voice, and has been described by some admirers as "Panama's leading opposition newspaper" and its newspaper of record.

Ithiel Roberto Eisenmann Field Jr. is a Panamanian journalist known for founding and heading La Prensa, a leading daily newspaper described as Panama's newspaper of record.

In several Latin American countries, a cadena nacional, also referred to as a cadena oficial or red voluntaria, is a joint broadcast, over various media, directed at the general population of a state. Initially conceived as a form of emergency population warning, these broadcasts are often of a political nature, as most of them are messages by governmental authorities about various topics of general interest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darío Fernández Jaen</span> Panamanian politician and broadcaster

Darío Fernández or Darío Fernández Jaen (1946-2011) was a Panamanian politician and broadcaster. He was the former governor of the province of Coclé and the owner of a radio station, Mi Favorita. He was assassinated for allegedly exposing government corruption and illegal activities.

References

  1. Sconyers, Ronald (1989). "Crisis in Panama: A public affairs success story". Military Media Review. 15 (1): 2–7.
  2. "Attacks on journalists during anti-mining protests reveal growing hostility towards press in Panama". LatAm Journalism Review by the Knight Center. 2023-12-12. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  3. "Journalists Killed in 2011 - Motive Confirmed: Darío Fernández Jaén". Refworld. Retrieved 2024-03-15.