Niger - Media

In 2001, there were about 20,000 mainline telephones in use, with an additional 6,700 cellular phones in use by 2002. The Voice of the Sahel and Télé-Sahel, the government's radio and television broadcasting units, respectively, broadcast in French, Djerma, Hausa, Tamachek, Kanuri, Fulfuldé, Toubou, Gourmantché, and Arabic. As of 2001, there were 5 AM and 6 FM radio stations. In 2002 there were three television stations. In 2000 there were about 121 radios and 37 television sets for every 1,000 people. The same year, one Internet service provider was serving about 3,000 subscribers.

Major publications include the daily, Le Sahel, with a 2002 circulation of about 5,000, and the weekly Le Sahel Dimanche (3,000); a monthly, the Journal Officiel de la République du Niger, is also published. All are government publications. There are about 12 private publications, usually published weekly or monthly. These include Le Republicain (3,000) and La Tribune du Peuple (3,000).

The 1996 constitution provides for freedom of speech and the press, though the current government is said to limit press freedom and stifle political discussion through intimidation, harassment, and detention.