Haitian Media in Distress: AMIH Requests Emergency Aid Plan from CONATEL

Facing insecurity, collapsing advertising revenues, and excessive charges, Haitian media are calling for help. The Association of Independent Media of Haiti (AMIH) sent a letter to the Director-General of CONATEL to request emergency support. In this correspondence, received by our editorial team on June 2, 2025, the Association of Independent Media of Haiti (AMIH) expressed its deep concern about the precarious situation faced by many radio and television stations in the country. In the letter, the association recalls that several media outlets, including Radio Télé Mega Star, Mélodie FM, and RTVC, have been targeted by acts of vandalism, looting, or arson, jeopardizing their operations and the safety of their teams. Beyond physical threats, the economic crisis is severely impacting Haitian media. The gradual closure of numerous businesses and the increasing reluctance of advertisers have led to a sharp drop in advertising revenues, the main source of funding for these structures. In this context, AMIH laments that the taxes and fees required by CONATEL continue to weigh heavily on already weakened institutions. In its letter, AMIH calls for the implementation of a special aid plan to support media in difficulty, a temporary exemption from fiscal and regulatory charges, and the creation of reinforced protection measures to secure media facilities and personnel. For the letter's signatories, Georges Venel Remarais and Eddy Charleus, the survival of the independent press in Haiti is at stake. They believe that supporting the media is essential for defending freedom of expression and strengthening democracy in the country. Wideberlin Sénexant