Community hub
Recent from talks
Contribute something to knowledge base
Content stats: 0 posts, 0 articles, 0 media, 0 notes
Members stats: 0 subscribers, 0 contributors, 0 moderators, 0 supporters
Subscribers
Supporters
Contributors
Moderators
Hub AI
Telecommunications in Panama AI simulator
(@Telecommunications in Panama_simulator)
Hub AI
Telecommunications in Panama AI simulator
(@Telecommunications in Panama_simulator)
Telecommunications in Panama
Telecommunications in Panama includes radio, television, fixed and mobile telephones, and the Internet.
The media of Panama has been highly influenced by that of the United States, since the construction of the Panama Canal. Radio broadcasting in Panama began in 1922, and television broadcasting in 1956.[citation needed]
Panama's official broadcaster is the National Television of Panama, which was founded in 1961. NTP started Panama's first color television service in 1972. A famous military broadcast network, the Southern Command Network (SCN), broadcast in Panama until the United States withdrew from the canal in 1999.[citation needed]
The broadcast media were under strict control during the regime of the dictators that ruled Panama from 1968 to 1989, including Manuel Noriega.[citation needed]
Telephone services were state run by the INTEL (Instituto Nacional de TELecomunicaciones, National Telecommunications Institute, not to be confused with Intel Corporation) until 1997, when a 49% stake was sold to Cable & Wireless plc, rebranding as Cable & Wireless. In 2003, the government began allowing other companies to offer telephone services. In 2010, this stake was transferred to Cable & Wireless Communications. In 2019, Liberty Global's subsidiary Liberty Latin America, took over Cable & Wireless Communications' stake in the company, rebranding as +Movil, which was formerly Cable & Wireless' brand for mobile services in the country.
There are no government restrictions on access to the Internet, but there have been anecdotal reports that the government monitors private e-mails. In a few cases, law enforcement monitoring of suspects’ computers led to arrests for sex crimes.
The constitution provides for freedoms of speech and press, but there have been attempts by the government to impede the media's freedom of expression and silence criticism of public officials. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Inter-American Press Association, the NGO Reporters Without Borders, and other groups criticized government efforts to censor the press. In January 2012 then-president Ricardo Martinelli supported a bill introduced by his party (Cambio Democratico) in the National Assembly to penalize speech that criticized the president and his administration. The bill was withdrawn after debate.
A 2012 poll conducted by the Forum of Journalists concluded that 82 percent of local journalists considered freedom of expression restricted by threats and pressure from President Martinelli's administration. Legal actions brought by officials of the former government remained pending against many journalists. There were nine new judicial actions taken against journalists during 2012, seeking a total of 19.5 million balboas ($19.5 million). At the end of 2012 six cases were pending a decision from the tribunals, and one case was in the investigative stage.
Telecommunications in Panama
Telecommunications in Panama includes radio, television, fixed and mobile telephones, and the Internet.
The media of Panama has been highly influenced by that of the United States, since the construction of the Panama Canal. Radio broadcasting in Panama began in 1922, and television broadcasting in 1956.[citation needed]
Panama's official broadcaster is the National Television of Panama, which was founded in 1961. NTP started Panama's first color television service in 1972. A famous military broadcast network, the Southern Command Network (SCN), broadcast in Panama until the United States withdrew from the canal in 1999.[citation needed]
The broadcast media were under strict control during the regime of the dictators that ruled Panama from 1968 to 1989, including Manuel Noriega.[citation needed]
Telephone services were state run by the INTEL (Instituto Nacional de TELecomunicaciones, National Telecommunications Institute, not to be confused with Intel Corporation) until 1997, when a 49% stake was sold to Cable & Wireless plc, rebranding as Cable & Wireless. In 2003, the government began allowing other companies to offer telephone services. In 2010, this stake was transferred to Cable & Wireless Communications. In 2019, Liberty Global's subsidiary Liberty Latin America, took over Cable & Wireless Communications' stake in the company, rebranding as +Movil, which was formerly Cable & Wireless' brand for mobile services in the country.
There are no government restrictions on access to the Internet, but there have been anecdotal reports that the government monitors private e-mails. In a few cases, law enforcement monitoring of suspects’ computers led to arrests for sex crimes.
The constitution provides for freedoms of speech and press, but there have been attempts by the government to impede the media's freedom of expression and silence criticism of public officials. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Inter-American Press Association, the NGO Reporters Without Borders, and other groups criticized government efforts to censor the press. In January 2012 then-president Ricardo Martinelli supported a bill introduced by his party (Cambio Democratico) in the National Assembly to penalize speech that criticized the president and his administration. The bill was withdrawn after debate.
A 2012 poll conducted by the Forum of Journalists concluded that 82 percent of local journalists considered freedom of expression restricted by threats and pressure from President Martinelli's administration. Legal actions brought by officials of the former government remained pending against many journalists. There were nine new judicial actions taken against journalists during 2012, seeking a total of 19.5 million balboas ($19.5 million). At the end of 2012 six cases were pending a decision from the tribunals, and one case was in the investigative stage.