Barbados

Barbados is a small island state in the eastern Caribbean with an estimated population of nearly 300,000 as of 2018. Media in Barbados began during the colonial years (1600s–1900s) under British rule, and in the 21st century, they operate in a society where freedom of expression is guarded as a principle of democracy. In 2017, Freedom House and Reporters Without Borders, two watchdog international organizations that monitor press freedom, categorized Barbados as having a free press. New information technologies such as the Internet and social media have advanced press freedom; however, press freedom is often constrained by social, political, and[Page 153] economic challenges. This entry provides an overview of the country’s media culture, policy, market, and use as well as an understanding of the challenges ...