The mass media in Mauritius is limited by its small population size (estimated at 1,288,000 in 2008). Nonetheless, Mauritius has a robust economy, and there are a number of major media outlets, including print newspapers, radio and television stations.
Newspapers
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2012)
Section 12(1) of the Constitution of Mauritius provides for a presumption of freedom of speech. Section 287 and 287A of the Criminal Code allows a court to ban newspapers for sedition. Section 299 of the Criminal Code makes "publishing false news" a crime. The Newspaper and Periodicals Act was enacted in 1837. In 1984, a Newspapers and Periodicals Bill was proposed to make it mandatory for newspapers to deposit a financial bond of MUR 500,000 to be allowed to continue to operate. The bill was opposed by the media. Forty-four journalists were arrested for protesting against the bill. In January 2015, a court sentenced the then Vice-Prime Minister to a meager monetary fine for having led an illegal demonstration in front of a daily newspaper and damaged some window panes of the building.[1]
In June 2016, the speaker of the National Assembly, banned the editor in chief of a news magazine from the National Assembly for four sessions because of an editorial about Hanoomanjee’s alleged bias in the National Assembly.[2]
Television
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2012)
The principal service provider is the public entity Mauritius Telecom together with its strategic partner Orange S.A. Other service provider include Emtel and MTML.