Sierra Leone media guide

This page is no longer being updated. It was last updated on 28 June 2023

Media freedom in Sierra Leone has its limits; media rights monitors say high-level corruption is a taboo topic, with officials using libel laws against errant journalists.

Despite a genuinely diverse media landscape "journalists are sometimes targets of arbitrary arrest and detention", says Reporters Without Borders (RSF). It notes that the main threat comes from "politicians who often use the police to try to control reporters or hinder their work".

Challenges facing broadcasters include unreliable power supplies, poor funding and low advertising revenues. There are dozens of radio stations, most of them privately owned.

The Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) is the national state-owned broadcaster.

BBC World Service is on FM in Freetown (94.3), Bo (94.5) and Kenema (95.3). Voice of America and Radio France Internationale broadcast on FM in Freetown.

Dozens of newspapers are published in Freetown, despite low literacy levels. Most of them are privately-run and are often critical of the government.

Poverty, irregular power supplies and illiteracy act as curbs on internet access. says RSF. There were 1.04 million internet users by December 2021, comprising just 12% of the population (Internetworldstats.com).

Media guides by BBC Monitoring , external

Media guides by BBC Monitoring , external

Press

Awoko , external

Awoko , external

Concord Times, external

Concord Times, external

Standard Times, external

Standard Times, external

The Calabash Newspaper, external

The Calabash Newspaper, external

The Sierra Leone Telegraph, external

The Sierra Leone Telegraph, external

Television

Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), external - state-owned terrestrial network with limited coverage

Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), external - state-owned terrestrial network with limited coverage

Radio

Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), external - state-owned national broadcaster

Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), external - state-owned national broadcaster

Radio Democracy, external - Freetown

Radio Democracy, external - Freetown

Kiss FM - Bo

Kiss FM - Bo

Skyy Radio - Freetown

Skyy Radio - Freetown

Capital Radio, external - private station in Freetown

Capital Radio, external - private station in Freetown

Voice of the Handicapped - Freetown

Voice of the Handicapped - Freetown

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BBC Media Action

BBC Media Action