Syria media guide

Men reading newspapers in DamascusGetty Images

The press is largely controlled by the ruling establishment and is subject to strict censorship

Syria has three distinct media environments - pro-government, opposition and Kurdish - reflecting its territorial divisions after more than a decade of war.

Journalists face clear red lines on reporting, and media workers have been targeted by all parties to the conflict: the Syrian army and its allies; armed opposition factions; Kurdish-led forces; and militant or jihadist groups.

Private pro-government media are mostly owned by business figures with close links to the president, his family and the military and security establishment.

In government-held areas, the Organisation of Syrian Arab Radio and TV (Ortas) is in charge of state TV and radio.

Many anti-government outlets are based abroad for security reasons - mainly in Turkey, but also in Europe and the US. Opposition media still based inside Syria operate in territory that is outside government control.

Although audience data is scarce, television and online media are known to be popular. Although in decline elsewhere in the region, the print sector includes some of Syria's most influential outlets.

Kurdish media began to flourish after 2012, as Kurdish-led forces began to take control of areas in the north.

The Kurds along with their local Arab allies and other minorities run the self-declared Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).

While it has endorsed "free and democratic" media, the AANES has been criticised for restricting critical reporting.

Facebook is the top social media platform, and there are many highly-localised accounts that focus on a particular area or town. Messaging apps are often used to access news.

There were 8.5 million internet users by July 2022, comprising 46% of the population (Worldinternetstats.com).

Press/Online

Television

Radio

News agency

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