- More than three-quarters (78%) of Seychellois say the media should “constantly investigate and report on government mistakes and corruption.”
- An even stronger majority (85%) say the media should have the right to publish any views and ideas without government interference.
- But more than half (52%) of respondents say the country’s media is “not very free” or “not at all free” to report and comment on the news without government interference.
- o Perceptions that the media is “somewhat free” or “completely free” have declined by 6 percentage points since 2022, from 51% to 45%.
- Only 3% of citizens say they contacted the media during the previous year. The same proportion say they posted about politics or community affairs on social media.
- More than six in 10 citizens (62%) say the public should have access to government information, while one-fourth (25%) say such information should be for use by government officials only.
- o Overwhelming majorities say the public should have access to district administration budgets (84%) and to information about bids and contracts for government projects (82%).
- o But fewer than half (47%) believe that the salaries of district administrators and teachers should be made public.
- Television is the most popular source of news in Seychelles, used at least “a few times a week” by 90% of citizens, followed by radio (75%) and social media (64%).
The Seychelles media landscape has come a long way since independence in 1976. During the one-party era under President France-Albert René, the media largely served as a mouthpiece for the state rather than as an autonomous fourth estate (Judiciary of Seychelles, 2023). The reintroduction of multiparty democracy in 1993 laid the foundation for a freer, more diverse media (BBC News, 2025; Reporters Without Borders, 2026). Today, about 10 public and private outlets operate in a pluralistic media environment rated as one of Africa’s freest (BBC News, 2025). The Seychelles Nation, the leading newspaper in the archipelago, marked its 50th anniversary in 2026, reflecting the maturity and institutionalisation of Seychelles’ media sector (Seychelles Nation, 2026a; Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles, 2026).
Seychelles moved up 10 places in the Reporters Without Borders (2026) World Press Freedom Index in 2026, placing 35th globally and third in Africa, after South Africa and Namibia. Freedom House’s (2026) categorisation of Seychelles as a “free” state also suggests that the media operates in a relatively unconstrained environment.
While these gains are significant, emerging challenges threaten to stifle independent journalism. In June 2026, Parliament amended the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) Act, transferring greater powers over the appointment and dismissal of SBC board members from the independent Constitutional Appointments Authority to the country’s president (Broadcast Media Africa, 2026; International Press Institute, 2026). Critics fear that the move could curtail editorial independence and increase political influence over journalistic reporting, particularly regarding government operations (Seychelles Nation, 2026b; International Press Institute, 2026).
Other observers see persistent self-censorship and political influence over media reporting (Internews, 2023). In 2022, two journalists were barred, without explanation, from covering a presidential news conference (Seychelles News Agency, 2022). In 2025, the editor-in-chief of Today in Seychelles was expelled from the country for publishing material critical of the government (CIVICUS Monitor, 2025). Though isolated and infrequent, these incidents threaten gains in the media sector over the decades.
What are Seychelles citizens’ perceptions of their media?
Findings from the 2025 Afrobarometer survey in Seychelles show that most citizens want a free media that serves as a watchdog over the government. But fewer than half see their media as free, a proportion that has declined since 2022.
A majority of citizens say the public should have access to information held by government authorities, such as budgets and contracts.
Television is the most popular source of news in Seychelles, followed by radio and social media.
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