Dominican Republic Political Orientation
Government
Government Type: Presidential Republic
Leader: President Luis Abinader
Political Party: Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM)
Political Position: Center-Left
Press Freedom
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: 69.94 – Moderate Freedom
World Press Freedom Rank: Dominican Republic 43/180
According to the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index, the Dominican Republic ranks 43rd out of 180 countries. The report highlights the country’s diverse media landscape and constitutional guarantees for press freedom, expression, and thought. Additionally, the report notes that there has been a decrease in physical and verbal attacks on journalists.
Media Ownership and Government Analysis
The Dominican Republic’s media landscape is a mix of private and state-owned outlets, with the majority being private. Prominent newspapers include Diario Libre and El Nacional, while much of the media is controlled by the Corripio Group, led by José A Corripio Estrada (Don Pepin). The group owns newspapers Hoy, El Nacional, El Día, and Listín Diario, as well as TV channels TeleAntillas and Telesistema Canal 11. State-owned media outlets include RTVD and Antena Latina (Canal 7).
In the Dominican Republic, defamation is a criminal offense, with the Penal Code also criminalizing seditious libel and acts against the President and public authorities. Significant concerns about government influence in the media focus on the criminalization of defamation and seditious libel, which can intimidate and suppress free expression, leading to self-censorship. Additionally, concentrated ownership can result in a lack of diverse perspectives and potential sway over public opinion.
Overall, the media is controlled by a few corporations and the state, which can limit plurality. Further, libel laws can result in self-censorship by journalists, but generally, the Dominican Republic’s media is mostly free.
Last Updated on May 12, 2023 by Media Bias Fact Check
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