Media in Djibouti is under the control of the government. La Nation is the most important newspaper of the country. This newspaper is basically a weekly newspaper. This newspaper of Djibouti is owned and controlled by the government. Though the private newspaper agencies have been given the allowance for free circulation, but self-censorship has been employed by the journalists. It was recorded in the year 2000 that the total circulation of La Nation was around 4,300.
Djibouti established a state owned AM radio station in the year 1983. The national radio of Djibouti is run by Radiodiffusion. Private broadcasters have not been able to make their way in Djibouti. Sawa is a US sponsored radio channel, which broadcasts its programs through a transmitter in Djibouti to the region of East Africa and Arabia. This channel broadcasts its programs in Arabic language.
Though the media in Djibouti is under the control of the government; yet there are a number of opposition run weeklies and monthlies in Djibouti. These also operate freely in Djibouti.
Djibouti Television
Television de Djibouti (RTD) runs the national television of Djibouti. In Djibouti, television came up in the year 1967. RTD is the sole television station in Djibouti. RTD broadcasts programs in various languages such as Somali, Afar, Arabic and French. TV in Djibouti is also state-run.
RTD Djibouti