Burundi - Media

In 2000, Burundi had 20,000 main line telephones in use with an additional 16,300 cellular phones. In 2001, there were 4 FM radio stations, including the government-run Voice of the Revolution, broadcasting in Kirundi Swahili, French, and English. Transmissions can be received from British Broadcasting and Radio France Internationale. A television service, Télévision Nationale du Burundi, was established in 1984, and began color transmission in 1985. In 2001, there was only one television station, which was owned by the government. As of 2000, there were 220 radios and 30 television sets for every 1,000 people. Internet access is extremely limited. In 2000, there was only one Internet Service Provider serving 2,000 people.

The government issues a French-language daily, Le Renouveau du Burundi, with a circulation of 20,000 in 2002, and several periodicals, including a weekly newspaper, Ubumwe, published in Kirundi, with a 1999 circulation of 20,000, and Burundi Chrétien , another weekly published in French.

Though there are no official restrictions upon expression or the press, the regime owns the only daily newspaper and two of the major radio stations, and information is said to be slanted toward pro-government opinions.