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Several public and privately-owned media outlets operate in Samoa, and internet access has expanded rapidly in recent years.

Press freedom is "generally respected", according to US-based Freedom House but it warns that "politicians and other powerful actors have used libel or defamation suits to respond to critical remarks or stories about them".

In 2022, Lagi Keresoma, the President of the Journalists Association of Western Samoa (JAWS), said journalists face challenges because of "the belief that freedom of expression is not part of the Samoan culture," especially in villages and districts.

The government and private operators run TV and radio stations and outlets from American Samoa are readily available.

There were 141,500 internet users by July 2022, comprising 67% of the population (Internetworldstats.com).