Lithuania - Media

Lithuania has one of the best developed telephone systems in the former Soviet Union. In 2001 there were over 1 million main line telephones and 500,000 mobile cellular phones. Broadcasting is controlled by Lithuanian Television and Radio Broadcasting. Radio Vilnius broadcasts in Lithuanian, Russian, Polish, and English. As of 2001 there were 29 AM and 142 FM radio stations. There were also 27 television stations. In 2000 there were about 500 radios and 422 television sets for every 1,000 people. The same year, there were about 65 personal computers in use for every 1,000 people. In 2001, there were 32 Internet service providers serving 341,000 users.

The most popular daily newspapers are Lietuvos Rytas ( Lithuania's Morning , in Russian), with a 2002 circulation of 85,000; Respubliká (55,000); Lietuvos Aidas ( The Echo of Lithuania , 20,000); and Kauno Diena ( Kaunas Daily , 57,000). There are also several periodicals available.

The constitution provides for free speech and a free press, and the government is said to uphold these provisions. Since independence, the independent print media have flourished, producing some 2,000 newspapers and periodicals, and plans for a number of private radio and television stations are underway.