AMB report Mauritius 2010

Though Freedom of Expression is guaranteed in the Constitution, private media in Mauritius and ordinary citizens continue to practice self-censorship. This is revealed in the recently launched African Media Barometer report 2010.

The report states that Mauritians do not have a culture of contesting the state and that the media submit to financial pressures by the government and tow the line.

Considering the small population of Mauritius of approx. 1,2 million, the country boasts a multitude of media outlets. But its smallness and the fact that everyone knows everyone else prevents people from speaking out as they must fear that critical opinions will reach those that can harm them politically or economically.

The state broadcaster, the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation, is accused of a clear bias for the government and of political manipulation.

The African Media Barometer report 2010 reflects the discussions of ten Mauritian panellists, five of whom work in civil society organisations and five of whom are from the media sector, along 45 indicators based on African norms and instruments. It is implemented every two or three years by the media project of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) and the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA).

AMB Mauritius 2010 as pdf file