Media in Belize

Belize’s media landscape is organized through a mixture of arrangements. The press and journalism include various private and public offerings; there is no single national media service. The government press office (Government Press Office) publishes official notices, produces radio and television documentaries and public information campaigns, and facilitates media contacts for press conferences. Belize’s broadcasting regulator (Belize Broadcasting Authority) licenses radio, cable television, and over-the-air television, monitors operations, handles complaints, and conducts consultations. According to government figures for 2023 to 2024, there were 16 cable television, 41 radio, and 9 over-the-air television providers. Broadcasters must comply with licensing conditions, program standards, station and program identification, sponsor and presenter transparency, recording obligations, and geographic requirements. In 2026, the BBA published drafts of new broadcasting regulations and a broadcasting law and sought feedback from stakeholders. License fees and processing times depend on the application and the applicable BBA documents; a single public standard processing period has not been established. The telecommunications regulator (Public Utilities Commission) is responsible for parts of the telecommunications sector, radio frequencies, and telecommunications licenses. Streaming takes place through global platforms and the internet or mobile networks. No dedicated Belizean streaming platform, public platform registry, uniform price list, or separate local streaming licensing route has been established. Costs therefore depend on the provider, device, electricity consumption, data plan, and the relevant streaming subscription. Media access remains uneven across regions. According to International Telecommunication Union (ITU) data for 2024, 80 percent of the population used the internet; usage was 87.2 percent in urban areas and 74.8 percent in rural areas. Home internet access was available to 88.4 percent of urban households and 67.9 percent of rural households. 70.7 percent owned a mobile phone, and there were 43.6 active mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. At least 3G coverage reached 98 percent, while LTE or WiMAX coverage reached 87 percent; reliable 5G data is not available. Social media is shaped by private and global platforms. Programs run by UNICEF, the government, and Belize’s national university (University of Belize) use services including Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, live chats, and polls. The youth voice service (U-Report) and youth participation platform (Nex’Us) enable youth voices, support, and contributions to political and social programs. Digital Buddies and digital-literacy training promote digital skills in rural communities as well. At the same time, risks include cyberbullying, online exploitation, harmful content, and privacy violations. A specific Belizean age limit or uniform local framework for parental controls has not been established in the reviewed primary sources. The Constitution protects, among other things, freedom of expression and privacy. The copyright statute (Copyright Act (Cap. 252)) protects literary and artistic works, sound recordings, films, broadcasts, and cable programs and covers economic and moral rights. The fair-dealing exception (Fair Dealing) may apply under certain conditions to current reporting, research, private study, and teaching. The intellectual property office (Belize Intellectual Property Office) supports the copyright framework. The cybercrime law (Cybercrime Act of 2020) regulates computer and communications offenses and the protection of children. Anyone publishing content should clarify rights, appropriately identify sources and authors, respect privacy, and comply with platform rules and criminal law. Broadcasters also have the specific BBA obligations.