Media in Barbados

Private news providers include The NATION and Barbados Today. The NATION offers, among other things, a website, E-Paper, print subscription, e-magazines, podcasts, classified advertisements, and channels on WhatsApp, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Barbados Today publishes online news and offers an E-Paper, newsletter, app, WhatsApp, and social networks. According to the researched price source, The NATION's E-Paper cost US$18.50 per month for Basic, US$25 per month for Premium, US$160 per year for Basic, or US$205 per year for Premium; prices and payment terms in US dollars or Barbados dollars should be checked again before subscribing. The Official Gazette publishes binding laws, regulations, and public notices, but it is not an editorial news medium. The Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) operates CBC Television 8 as the national public television broadcaster and CBC Radio with 98.1 FM, Vibe 94.7 FM, and Q100.7 FM. Private, religious, educational, and emergency stations supplement the offering; the station list and individual licensing statuses may change. The Barbados Broadcasting Authority (BBA) advises on licences, supervises broadcasting, reviews legal and licensing requirements, and monitors, among other things, technical standards, political impartiality, news and advertising rules, local and regional material, and reserved government airtime. A radio or television facility may be operated only with the required ministerial licence. Radio and television require separate applications; after reviewing the application, the BBA forwards it to the Telecommunications Unit (TU) for frequency allocation. The TU charges US$500 per frequency application, reviews it within ten working days, and the BBA is expected to forward the application to the minister with a recommendation within four weeks. Licence fees and an annual TU operating fee also apply. The broadcasting definition covers radio, television, cable, terrestrial and satellite transmission, and other electronic distribution channels. According to the reviewed TU information, internet television does not require a broadcasting licence; no BBA licences for IPTV providers were identified there. Websites, apps, and live offerings from CBC and private media, as well as international streaming services, must therefore be distinguished from traditional broadcaster licensing. Access costs depend on the internet provider, data volume, platform, and subscription; no uniform local broadcasting or streaming subscription was identified. BGIS, the Government Information Service, distributes government information through the press, radio, and television and handles media enquiries as well as reports on Parliament and press conferences. According to the reviewed current sources, Barbados has no general law on access to government information. The Official Gazette, parliamentary documents, BGIS, and direct enquiries to responsible institutions therefore serve, among other things, as functional sources of official information. The reviewed sources did not confirm a statutory press council or media ombudsman. Parliamentary committees may request public statements and submissions. No statutory professional licence or generally required journalism training was identified for the journalism profession. Barbados Community College offers a two-year full-time Bachelor in Media and Journalism. Admission includes, among other things, five passed CXC General Proficiency or GCE O-Level subjects, English with Grade 1 within a subject group, a 300-word essay, and an aptitude test covering language, current affairs, and media. The programme combines classes with a six-week internship and a college media house for radio, newspapers, and online offerings. UWI Cave Hill offers, within Communication Studies, subjects including Writing for Mass Media, Production Tools, and Critical Media Studies. According to the research, applications are generally submitted between November and February; fees and financial aid must be checked separately. The Media Institute of the Caribbean offers regional, non-formal training in journalism, investigative research, digital media, and verification. BGIS can accredit bona-fide press. Depending on the activity, a form, a 600 × 600 pixel photograph, an assignment letter, press card or work pass, and a passport or identity document may be required. Online media must, among other things, demonstrate a registered company, a verifiable address outside the website, and original national content; new websites require three current articles with bylines and evidence of an audience. Freelance journalists need a specific assignment. Accreditation is not guaranteed, and published deadlines from previous years must be reconfirmed for the relevant event. The Constitution of Barbados protects freedom of expression and the receipt and distribution of ideas and information. Restrictions may arise, among other things, from defence, public safety and order, morality, health, the reputation of others, the rights of others, or the protection of privacy in court proceedings. The Copyright Act protects literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and photographic works, as well as audiovisual works, sound recordings, films, and broadcasts. Protection generally arises when the work is created; registration is not required for this. Copying, reusing, or commercially distributing content without the appropriate rights can lead to claims and criminal proceedings. Depending on the offence, the stated maximum penalties are up to US$50,000 before the Magistrates' Court or US$150,000 before the High Court, as well as up to two or five years of imprisonment. Defamation law can encourage self-censorship. The Cybercrime Bill from the 2023/2024 parliamentary context must be treated as a draft and not as law in force. For children under 18, the Data Protection Act generally requires the consent or authorisation of a parent or guardian for processing personal data, together with appropriate verification. Data subjects have, among other things, rights of access, rectification, erasure, restriction, data portability, and objection to direct marketing or harmful processing. Written notice of harm or emotional distress can trigger a 21-day period. The exception for journalistic purposes applies only when publication is planned, a public interest can reasonably be assumed, and full compliance with data protection law would be incompatible with publication. A Youth Development Programme workshop addressed social security, privacy settings, harmful content, personal data, and digital laws for people aged 16 to 29; the researched date in 2025 does not establish a permanent entitlement. CariSECURE 2.0 by UNDP and MIC supported young people's reporting on law and ethics, solutions, data, investigative methods, and personal stories. BBA rules require political impartiality and fair airtime for parties. They also provide for reserved government airtime and broadcasts of national importance. Newsletters, comments, polls, and WhatsApp or social media channels create additional opportunities for participation, while formal accreditation for individual events may be regulated separately. Freedom House rates media freedom in Barbados as free, with a score of 94 out of 100; at the same time, risks exist through broad defamation law, economic dependence on government advertising, and possible self-censorship. Information from social networks should therefore be checked against its source, date, image or video context, and an independent counter-source.