The closure of the oldest newspaper, the Liechtensteiner Volksblatt, for economic reasons in 2023 left Liechtenstein with just one daily, the Liechtensteiner Vaterland. What’s more, the results of a 2024 referendum in favor of privatising the country’s sole public broadcaster, Radio Liechtenstein, had further threatened media independence and pluralism. Liechtenstein has one privately owned TV channel, 1FLTV, which was launched in 2008 and is owned by an Austrian company. The population also has ample access to German-language media in neighbouring countries, including Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

With only one daily newspaper now being published, the traditionally close links between the two main political parties and the newspaper have weakened. In general, the media landscape provides a space for diverse political opinions and for political parties to express their views.

In principle, freedom of opinion and freedom of the press prevail. However, in this small state with a tightly woven social, cultural and political fabric, journalists are under considerable pressure to prevent the outbreak of scandals. Political parties exert significant influence on certain outlets, which can cause their journalists to lean towards self-censorship.

Given the limited reach of the country’s media, the main problems are the small advertising market and low number of subscribers, which reduces profitability and therefore the economic appeal of the media industry. A political discussion has opened on the reform of media subsidies.

Like many countries, Liechtenstein is faced with declining public interest in news and growing distrust of traditional media. Since 2021, groups or individuals with extremist ideas have gained visibility in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, influencing an anti-media discourse. Some groups also expect the media to serve their interests.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, attempts to influence certain sectors of civil society have increased significantly, making the media and journalists targets of threats and slander. Reporters and media were subjected to verbal attacks on an unprecedented scale during protests against measures taken to combat the pandemic.