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While the constitution of Cyprus guarantees freedom of the press, political parties, the Orthodox Church and commercial interests have significant influence over the country’s media, says Reporters Without Borders in its Press Freedom Index 2022. Both state-owned and for-profit corporations operate media outlets that depend on advertising, subscriptions and other sales-related revenue.
Cyprus has nine newspapers (Phileleftheros, Alithia, Haravghi and so on), seven TV channels and seven radio stations, according to Reporters Without Borders.
The organisation notes multiple factors that are harmful to media pluralism and that lead to self-censorship among journalists in the country. These include direct interference in journalists’ work, growing media concentration and a lack of ownership transparency.
“Informal relationships between politicians and media owners strengthen the influence of the former on the sector,” it adds.
There are three journalists’ unions supporting the journalistic communities of Cyprus:
Union of Cyprus Journalists, the Turkish Cypriot press workers’ union Basin-Sen and the Cyprus Turkish Journalists Union.
Last updated: January 2023
CREDIT FOR STATISTICS: Press Freedom statistics, RSF Press Freedom Index 2022; Internet penetration and population statistics, from Internet World Stats
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