23 August 2012 Last updated at 06:52 ET

Chile profile

• Overview
• Facts
• Leaders
• Media
• Timeline

Chile's national and local terrestrial TV channels operate alongside extensive cable TV networks, which carry many US and international stations.

Radio is an important source of news; there are hundreds of stations, most of them commercial. Spanish group Prisa is a major player in the market.

The constitution guarantees freedom of speech and of the media, and this is generally respected by the authorities. The media maintain their independence, criticise the government and cover sensitive issues.

Chile ranked 80th out of 179 countries in Reporters Without Borders' 2012 press freedom index. The watchdog fretted about the concentration of media ownership in "very few" hands and cited problems in reporting on highly sensitive topics.

There were 10 million internet users by December 2011 (Internetworldstats). There are no restrictions on access, reports Freedom House.

The press/online

• El Mercurio - conservative daily
• La Tercera - daily
• La Nacion - government-owned daily
• La Segunda - conservative evening daily
• Diario Financiero - business daily
• The Santiago Times - English-language
• Terra - portal, news

Television

• National Television of Chile - state-owned but not under direct government control
• Canal 13 - private
• Chilevision - private
• Megavision - private
• Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso (UCV) - owned by Catholic university
• Red TV - private

Radio

• Radio Cooperativa - news-based, national, private network
• Pudahuel FM - private
• Bio Bio La Radio - private network
• El Conquistador FM - private network
• Radio Horizonte - music-based, private network