Freedom of the Press - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2005)

Status: Free
Legal Environment: 2
Political Influences: 5
Economic Pressures: 9
Total Score: 16

Population: n/a
GNI/capita: n/a
Life Expectancy: 72
Religious Groups: Anglican (47 percent), Methodist (28 percent), Roman Catholic (13 percent), other [including Hindu, Seventh-Day Adventist, and other Protestant] (12 percent)
Ethnic Groups: Black (66 percent), other [including mulatto, East Indian, and white] (34 percent
Capital: Kingstown

The constitution guarantees a free press, and publications openly criticize government policies. There are two privately owned daily newspapers and two weeklies, along with several other publications whose appearance is less structured. Radio in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines includes NBC Radio, which is partly funded by the government, in addition to several private stations. The state-owned radio station prohibits call-in shows. The sole national television station, SVG Television, is operated by the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Broadcasting Corporation, and there are also two cable television networks. Some journalists complain that government advertising is occasionally withheld from entities that are more critical of the government, thus denying them a significant source of revenue.