Samoa media guide

Traditional beach fales or huts in Samoa

Several public and privately-owned media outlets operate in Samoa, and internet access has expanded rapidly in recent years.

Press freedom is "generally respected", according to US-based Freedom House but it warns that "politicians and other powerful actors have used libel or defamation suits to respond to critical remarks or stories about them".

In 2022, Lagi Keresoma, the President of the Journalists Association of Western Samoa (JAWS), said journalists face challenges because of "the belief that freedom of expression is not part of the Samoan culture," especially in villages and districts.

The government and private operators run TV and radio stations and outlets from American Samoa are readily available.

There were 141,500 internet users by July 2022, comprising 67% of the population (Internetworldstats.com).

• Media guides by BBC Monitoring

Press/online

• Samoa Observer - private daily

• Samoa Times - daily

• Le Samoa - weekly in Samoan and English

• Savali - weekly and monthly government newspaper in Samoan and English

• Talamua - online news site in English

Television

• SBC TV - government-run, commercial

• TV3 - private

• Vaiala Beach Television (VBTV) - private

Radio

• National Radio 2AP - government-run

• Magik FM - popular music

• K-Lite FM - easy listening music

• Talofa FM - Samoan language and music