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Communications in Madagascar include newspapers, radio, television, fixed and mobile telephones, cinema, and the Internet.

Widespread poverty and illiteracy severely limit the penetration of television, print media, and the Internet, making radio by far the most important communications medium in the country.

Newspapers

  • L'Express de Madagascar, privately owned daily.
  • Malagasy National Radio (RNM), state-owned.

Media restrictions

Although the law provides for freedom of speech, authorities severely restrict freedom of speech by intimidating opponents and resorting to imprisonment or violence when threats fail to dissuade critics. The de facto minister of communications targeted those who expressed dissent, sending official warning letters to news outlets whose coverage displeased the regime. From 2010 through 2012 an estimated 80 radio and television station licenses withdrawn and the stations ordered suspend broadcasting immediately. By the end of 2012 they had not been authorized to reopen. In September 2012 the editor of the national television station was suspended, reportedly for having opposition politicians on the air. Authorities also suspend journalists who continue to broadcast despite government warnings. To maintain access to sources and remain safe, journalists widely practiced self-censorship.

  • Main lines: 143,700 lines in use, 138th in the world (2012),
  • Mobile cellular: 8.6 million lines, 89th in the world (2012). Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy) connecting Sudan, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Comoros, Tanzania, Madagascar, Mozambique, and South Africa.
  • Satellite earth stations: 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) (2010).
  • Fixed broadband: 9,242 subscriptions, 150th in the world; less than 0.05% of the population, 187th in the world (2012).
  • Wireless broadband: Unknown (2012).
  • Internet hosts: 38,392 hosts, 127th in the world (2012).
  • Internet service providers (ISPs):
  • As of 2006:
  • DTS, http://www.dts.mg/
  • Simicro, http://www.simicro.mg/
  • Blueline (Gulfsat), http://www.gulfsat.mg. In 2005 Blueline was the first operator in the Indian Ocean area to launch a Wimax based network for broadband Internet access.

Internet censorship and surveillance

There are generally no restrictions on access to the Internet, or reports that the de facto government monitors e-mail or Internet chat rooms. However, the de facto minister of communication made several statements throughout 2012 about restricting the Internet.

Political groups, parties, and activists use the Internet extensively to advance their agendas, share news, and criticize other parties. Although there have been allegations of technical sabotage of some Web sites, the Internet is considered among the more reliable sources of information, as many Internet servers were outside the country and cannot be regulated by the regime.

An investigation by the Central Office for the Fight against Crimes Against Humanity, Genocides and War Crimes (OCLCH) established that the leaders of Nexa and Intellexa exported equipment and software to hack phones to the Malagasy presidency, without any authorization.