Media in Liechtenstein

The local press remains a central source of information. Liechtensteiner Vaterland appears six times a week in print and as an e-paper with paid subscriptions. Liewo is distributed free to households on Sundays. Lie:Zeit is a periodic print publication. Liechtensteiner Volksblatt stopped publishing in March 2023. Vaduzer Medienhaus is a major private media group with print and online services, Liewo and Radio Vaterland. The market is therefore established but concentrated, and a study conducted in 2025 and 2026 found that a majority of 1,008 respondents wanted greater media diversity. Media use remained relatively stable despite the market changes. The disappearance of the state radio and a second daily newspaper reduced the range of local offers, while foreign media continue to provide functional alternatives. Social media has a high practical relevance. Around two-thirds of the population used social media in 2023, and use among 16- to 25-year-olds was nearly universal. Social platforms enable participation, publication and rapid distribution, but using a platform does not provide a journalistic quality guarantee. Privacy, personality rights and copyright still apply. The application of the European Union Digital Services Act in Liechtenstein was still being prepared as of September 2026; the EU market-location principle can nevertheless affect Liechtenstein services aimed at the EU market. Radio Liechtenstein, the former state radio service, ended broadcasting on 3 April 2025 after the 27 October 2024 referendum supported repeal of the LRFG by 55.4 percent. Radio Vaterland is a private alternative that began test operations in March 2025 and is available through a web stream and DAB+. Foreign stations, especially SRF, also provide radio coverage. The Landeskanal is a state information channel with full-screen broadcasts, teletext and streaming. It covers the Princely House, the Landtag, the Government and public administration, but it does not operate as a full journalistic newsroom. Since January 2026 it has also carried Radio SRF 1, particularly for alerts. 1FLTV is Liechtenstein's only local television channel. The private channel of MEDIA1 Service AG covers politics, society, culture and sport and is distributed by cable in all eleven municipalities and in the Rhine Valley. It is also available through Zattoo, since 2021, and Salt.TV, since 2022. Programming uses Standard German, Alemannic and Walser dialect. Streaming and video-on-demand services are established, but local use is mainly platform-based and cross-border. No separate nationwide public-service video-on-demand subscription system or local streaming monopoly is evidenced. Audiovisual media-on-demand services and video-sharing platform services must notify the AK, the regulatory authority, when they fall within the applicable scope of the Media Act. The annual supervisory fee is CHF 500. Video-on-demand catalogues generally need at least 30 percent European works and must give them prominence where technically practicable. The Media Act and Media Ordinance reform has applied since 1 May 2025. Article 3 of the Media Act protects freedom of the media, and media activity is generally free from licensing and registration requirements. Article 5 provides a right to obtain information from public authorities under the Information Act. Journalistic diligence includes objectivity, truthfulness, factual presentation, checking the origin and accuracy of information, corrections and a clear distinction between reporting and comment. Media publications require an imprint. A person directly affected by a factual report may request a right of reply, called a Gegendarstellung. The request must normally be made within four weeks after learning of the report and no later than three months after its last publication. Publication is free and must have comparable prominence. Copyright protects authors, performing artists, producers and broadcasting organisations. The Data Protection Office handles rights under the Data Protection Act and the GDPR. Liechtenstein has no directly equivalent independent press council evidenced in the available research. The Medienkommission advises the Government, monitors the media, prepares journalistic quality reports at least every four years, recognises foreign journalism codes and supports the administration of media funding. Private media companies can apply for regular media funding through the Medienkommission or the AK. Applications are normally due by the end of April each year and require evidence for the previous year. Under the 2025 Media Funding Ordinance, an eligible company generally needs at least two full-time media employees, with each working at least 50 percent. A young media company based in Liechtenstein that is no more than two years old may receive one-time start-up funding of up to CHF 250,000, but there is no legal entitlement and the scheme expects economic self-sufficiency within five years. Development of electronic media services can receive 50 percent of eligible external project or investment costs, up to CHF 100,000. The KJMV provides Liechtenstein's youth-protection framework for audiovisual media. The Media Act and Media Ordinance cover protection of minors in television, video-on-demand services, user-generated videos and audiovisual advertising. The Office for Social Services and youth protection services provide prevention, advice and monitoring. The Medienkompetenz specialist group coordinates public bodies, while the School Office and aha offer workshops on social-media safety, privacy, cyberbullying, algorithms, distinguishing facts from false information and artificial intelligence. medien-kindersicher.li provides technical protection information. The available research does not establish a general age limit for internet use. Public participation is available through live Landtag sessions on the Landeskanal and live.landtag.li. The video archive reaches back to 2017, while the audio archive reaches back to 2017. The Government's media portal publishes media releases, dates, approved photographs, RegierungsTV and media conferences. Access to Landeskanal, Landtag and 1FLTV streams is generally free. Print access varies: Liewo is free, while Liechtensteiner Vaterland is available through a subscription or paid e-paper. Commercial streaming costs depend on the provider. An appeal against an AK decision must normally be filed within 14 days with the Beschwerdekommission and can then proceed to the Verwaltungsgerichtshof.