- A slim majority (52%) of Mauritians consider the country’s news media to be “somewhat free” or “completely free” from government censorship or interference (Figure 1). o The share of Mauritians who hold this opinion has dwindled from 69% in 2020, a fall of 17 percentage points in perceived media freedom.
- But almost nine in 10 citizens (86%) say the media should have the right to publish any views and ideas without government control, while just 11% instead believe the government should have the right to prevent the media from publishing things it disapproves of (Figure 2).
- An equally large majority (86%) say the news media should constantly investigate and report on government mistakes and corruption (Figure 3).
- Almost all Mauritians (96%) say they get news from television “a few times a week” or “every day.” Radio (94%) and social media (88%) follow close behind as popular sources of news (Figure 4).
- The use of social media as a source of news has doubled over the past decade (Figure 5).
Mauritians’ confidence in the freedom of their news media is waning, a new Afrobarometer survey indicates.
Even though most citizens support the media’s independence and its role as a watchdog over government, only a slim majority perceive their media as “somewhat” or “completely” free – a dramatic change from four years ago.
Television and radio are the most popular news sources in Mauritius, but social media plays an important role, too – its popularity has doubled over the past decade.
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