Ecuador - Media

In 1999 there were 1.1 million mainline telephones in use, with telephone service operated by the government. The same year, there were and additional 384,000 cellular phones in use. Between the main cities and towns there are radiotelephone links. Quito is connected by telegraph with Colombia and Peru, and there are telephone and cable connections with all parts of the world.

Ecuador had 392 AM and 35 FM radio stations and 7 television stations as of 2001. In addition to the numerous local stations, there was one central government network, Radio Nacional del Ecuador. In 2000, there were 418 radios and 218 television sets for every 1,000 people. In 2001, 31 Internet service providers were serving 180,000 people.

The leading newspapers, with their political tendencies and estimated daily circulations in 2002, were as follows:

	ORIENTATION	CIRCULATION
Q UITO
El Comercio	Independent	160,000
Hoy	Independent	72,000
Últimas Noticias	Independent	60,000
La Hora	Independent	45,000
G UAYAQUIL
El Extra	NA	200,000
El Universo	Independent	174,000
La Segunda	Independent	60,000
Expreso	Independent	60,000
El Telegrafo	Independent	45,000
C UENCA
El Mercurio	Conservative	20,000

The government requires all mass periodicals to participate in literacy and adult education campaigns. There is no censorship of newspapers or of radio and television stations, as ensured by Ecuador's constitution.