Media in Nicaragua

The main local terms are medios de comunicación social, radioemisora, televisión abierta, televisión por suscripción or televisión de paga, radiodifusión sonora, contenido televisivo and radiodifusión por Internet. State media channels remain a central source of official information. Independent journalism is highly fragmented, many journalists work in exile, and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights reported continuing patterns of censorship and repression in 2025, including raids, arbitrary detention, loss of nationality, restrictions on return, threats, surveillance, stigmatization and risks of criminalization. La Prensa received the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize in 2025. TELCOR licenses open television, subscription television, AM radio, FM radio and audiovisual content. A separate authorization for use of the radio-frequency spectrum may also be required. Applications can require legal documents, a RUC, a local legal representative, a technical project, an expansion plan, an equipment inventory and an economic project. TELCOR charges an application review fee under the current tariff schedule. After approval for a Servicio de Interés General, the applicant may have to publish the authorization in two national newspapers at its own expense, pay the first operating-year fee before receiving the licence and provide a bank guarantee equal to 10% of the initial investment when required. Exact decision times and consumer prices are not reliably established in the available evidence. Foreign natural or legal persons cannot obtain AM, FM or open-television licences under the stated rules. Radio and television services must also carry a Cadena Nacional when TELCOR orders it because of an emergency, national interest or a comparable situation. Nicaragua has no documented local public streaming platform equivalent to a national public service platform. Access instead relies on the internet, mobile data and international platforms. TELCOR treats web and multimedia content delivered through platforms, either asynchronously or in real time, as an exception within its audiovisual communications framework. Internet access reached 61.4% of individuals in 2024, while 53.3% of households had internet at home, so the digital divide still affects access to news and audiovisual content. The Constitution of Nicaragua, Articles 66 to 68 in the 2025 text, recognizes the right to reliable information and to seek, receive and distribute information through any medium. Ley 621 regulates access to public information and protects media access to state data, subject to reserved-information exceptions. Source protection is recognized, and reporting carries a responsibility to be complete and verified. In practice, enforcement of these rights is severely constrained. Formal participation channels include requests for public information, the Asamblea Nacional website, parliamentary channels and social-media accounts of state institutions, but civic space is largely closed and independent or critical reporting can create serious risks. Social media can provide an alternative channel for news, exile journalism and public participation. It also exposes users and journalists to harassment, defamation campaigns, netcenters and troll farms, with reported state involvement. Law 1042 creates criminal risks connected with unauthorized interception of communications, access to data or systems, use of personal data and publication of non-public content. Adults, schools, caregivers and organizations commonly provide informal media-safety and media-literacy support. Under Law 1042, ICT-based sexual exploitation of minors is a criminal offense. TELCOR audiovisual rules prohibit, between 04:00 and 23:00, depictions or advertising showing children in unsafe or unsuitable situations and require warnings before unsuitable content. UNICEF and Tigo's Conéctate Seguro program has provided a documented digital-safety pathway, with more than 13,000 participants by 2026. Reliable nationwide statistics on media use and youth risks are not established in the available evidence.