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Press freedom is protected by the constitution and journalists work in relatively safe conditions compared with their peers in neighbouring countries, says Freedom House.

But Panamanian laws offer little protection to journalists. who often risk legal action and financial sanctions that represent a serious hindrance to press freedom, Reporters Without Borders says.

Most media outlets are privately-owned. Corporacion Medcom operates the leading TV stations. There are around 100 radio stations and several TV networks.

There were 3.4 million internet users by July 2022, comprising 77% of the population (Internetworldstats.com). There are 3.4 million Facebook users. Internet access is unrestricted, says Freedom House.