Media in Kiribati

Radio and print are the most established parts of Kiribati's media system. Radio Kiribati has provided public service broadcasting since 1952, and the BPA has been a statutory body since 1979. Te Uekera is the national newspaper, alongside other authorized publications. The BPA's mandate covers local and international news, education, information and entertainment, with distribution to the outer islands as a stated goal. Current circulation figures and subscription prices have not been verified. Radio Kiribati broadcasts news, sport, politics, crime and music and is also available through the webplayer at radio.bpa.org.ki. The Broadcasting Ordinance, Cap. 6A sets standards requiring news to be as accurate and impartial as possible, supporting Kiribati-origin content and reasonable political impartiality. The 2016 amendment states that differing political views should not be unfairly excluded, restricted or delayed. A minister can restrict a broadcast through a written notice under the applicable law. BPANews is an active online news service with sections including Politics, Technology, Women, Travel, General, Sport, Crime and Music. Online media and television remain fragmented, and a local subscription video-on-demand service or established nationwide television system has not been documented. The Ministry of Information, Communications and Transport's Medium-Term Plan 2025–2028 includes planned video and television development, additional radio stations for South Tarawa and Kiritimati by 2026, infrastructure upgrades and improved printing capacity. These plans do not by themselves show that the services are already operating. People also receive and share news through mobile internet and social media. Kiribati has no documented state social-media platform or separate local social-media regime. CCK dashboard figures indicate about 80% internet penetration and about 73% mobile coverage, while ITU 2024 figures report at least 77% 2G coverage, 62% LTE or WiMAX coverage and 51.8 mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The figures use different methods and dates, so they do not describe identical conditions on every island. Access is generally less reliable in outer-island communities than in better-connected areas. Article 12 of the Constitution protects the freedom to hold opinions and to receive and communicate ideas and information. Legal limits can address security, public order, morality, health, reputation and privacy, confidentiality, court proceedings and the technical regulation of broadcasting. The CCK handles communications licensing, spectrum use, access and consumer interests, including complaints. A formal local media council, journalists' union or user council has not been verified. A person aged 18 or older, a Kiribati company, a registered foreign company, a cooperative, a state institution or a statutory body may qualify for an individual CCK licence, subject to the applicable requirements. An application uses technical documents, a business plan and a non-refundable fee of about USD 50–250. The stated decision period is up to 45 days, and an approved licence is issued within 30 days. A licence can run for up to 20 years and may be renewed. Annual broadcasting fees include USD 500 for FM below 500 watts, USD 1,000 for FM at or above 500 watts, USD 1,000 for AM and USD 1,000 for television at or above 1 kilowatt. Radio and other communications equipment also requires type approval; a complete type-approval application can take up to seven calendar days. The Universal Access Fund (UAF) uses consultations with island councils, churches, communities and schools in planning access measures. Proposed or supported tools include community ICT centres, internet kiosks, public access points, local-content development and community feedback. The Kiribati Learning Passport, supported by the Ministry of Education and UNICEF, provides online and offline educational access. Happy Children, Happy Kiribati has been identified as a possible vehicle for digital citizenship, but a nationwide child-online-protection system and a specific social-media age limit have not been verified. Parents, schools and communities remain the main practical gatekeepers for youth media safety and reporting or referral pathways.