Media in Maldives

The Maldives has a fragmented media system with established institutions serving different functions. The Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission (MMBC) handles print and broadcast media registration, broadcaster and rebroadcaster registration, Media Cards, standards, complaints, monitoring and media grants. The Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Act 16/2025 came into force on 18 September 2025. It dissolved the former Maldives Media Council and reconstituted the former Maldives Broadcasting Commission as the MMBC. The MMBC has seven members: three appointed by the People’s Majlis and four elected by media organizations, including two broadcasters and two representatives of other media. Its current service pages do not fully state all eligibility requirements, documents, fees or processing times, so applicants should check the current MMBC information directly. The Communications Authority of Maldives (CAM) regulates telecommunications and internet services, spectrum, technical standards, consumer complaints, tariffs and the universal-service framework. An Internet Retail Service Provider Licence may cover a particular island or group of islands. Broadcasting registration through the MMBC does not replace technical requirements involving transmitters, frequencies, spectrum, ISDB-T or telecommunications infrastructure, where CAM may also be involved. Rebroadcasting has a separate registration or licensing process. Public Service Media (PSM) is the statutory public-service provider for television, radio, online and print media. Its services include Television Maldives (TVM), Dhivehiraajjeyge Adu radio and PSM News, which provides continuous news coverage. PSM describes its public services as free, although commercial media offerings can also exist. The media environment includes Dhivehi- and English-language outlets, with availability varying by service and location. Internet access strongly affects access to online news, streaming and social media. CAM statistics for July 2026 recorded 844,302 mobile subscriptions, 108,763 fixed-broadband subscriptions, 350,035 mobile-broadband subscriptions and 1,174 satellite-broadband subscriptions against a projected mid-year resident population of 623,138. These are subscriptions rather than unique users. The figures reported mobile-broadband penetration of 56 percent and fixed-broadband penetration of 17 percent. Actual access can differ because of the island, provider, package, device, outages and backhaul capacity. The Maldives has no established uniform nationwide broadband entitlement or single nationwide price. No distinct Maldives streaming-user licence or streaming register was identified in the reviewed official sources. Streaming generally depends on an internet connection and the platform’s terms. Availability, subscription prices and geographic rights vary by service. Broadcasting rules, audiovisual classification, copyright, court orders and other lawful restrictions can still affect what a provider may publish or make available. Social-media users generally deal with platform rules together with applicable Maldivian law. Harassment, threats, impersonation, privacy breaches and unlawful or harmful content may require platform reporting or blocking, and in suitable cases a complaint to the police, the MMBC or another competent body. Preserve the URL, account name, date and time, screenshots and the original file before reporting. The Constitution protects private and family life, the home and private communications under Article 24. Article 27 protects expression subject to the constitutional limit concerning Islamic tenets. Article 28 protects press and communication, including news, information, views and ideas, and protects sources. Article 29 protects acquiring and imparting knowledge, information and ideas. Article 33 protects reputation and good name. The right to lawful, fair and expeditious administrative action, written reasons and court review appears in Article 43. Access to public information can also support journalism and public participation. Child-related media use has additional limits. Constitution Article 35 provides special protection for children and young people. The Protection of the Rights of Children Act 19/2019 places duties on families, communities and individuals, requires reporting of harm to children and supports policies that protect child rights. The Juvenile Justice Act 18/2019 restricts publication that could identify a child in conflict with the law and restricts publication of offences committed by a person under 18. The National Bureau of Classification (NBC) uses the age categories G, PG, 12+, 15+, 18+, 18+R and PU for audiovisual and artistic productions before public release. Platform age limits and verification requirements remain specific to each platform. Copyright applies separately from media registration. The Copyright and Related Rights Act 23/2010 protects articles, audiovisual works, photographs, broadcasts, performances and related rights. Reproduction, public communication, broadcasting and distribution generally require authorization. The law includes exceptions such as short excerpts for reporting current events when the use fits the permitted purpose. The Maldives Intellectual Property Office provides services for copyright registration, licensing and transfer. Infringement can lead to civil or judicial remedies and fines under the Act. The Maldives does not yet have a confirmed comprehensive enacted personal-data protection law in the supplied research. A Personal Data Protection Bill was reported in 2026 as a parliamentary committee matter, but it should not be treated as enacted law without checking its current Gazette or People’s Majlis status. Constitutional privacy protections and specific child, court and confidentiality rules continue to apply. Complaints should be sent to the body connected with the problem. The MMBC handles media and broadcasting complaints. CAM handles complaints about telecommunications and internet providers, nuisance calls and service problems. Platforms provide reporting tools for platform harms, while the police and courts handle alleged offences within their authority. MMBC complaint deadlines and remedies were not fully exposed in the reviewed service pages, so the current procedure should be confirmed before filing. Registration, licence, Media Card and grant fees depend on the category, and CAM tariffs and licence fees also vary. In February 2026, state support of MVR 27,295,532.69 was announced for 40 media outlets. A Media Village with 34 units was also announced, but its implementation status requires confirmation.