Mass media in Turkmenistan
The press is controlled by the government, which funds nearly all newspapers, criticism of the president is forbidden, and state licensing policy effectively eliminates all outlets not reflecting official views.[2] Reporters Without Borders' 2022 Press Freedom Index ranked Turkmenistan 177th out of 180 countries surveyed, ahead of Iran, Eritrea, and North Korea.[3] It has consistently ranked at or near the bottom of most measures of press freedom since the breakup of the Soviet Union.Electronic copies of most state-published newspapers may be downloaded from the website of the State Printing Office Archived 2022-05-29 at the Wayback Machine.The channels also present informative and entertaining domestic programs and movies, as well as sports events in which Turkmen athletes participate.