Haiti newspapers and news from Port-au-Prince

In Haiti, news circulates in French and Creole through Le Nouvelliste, Le National, AlterPresse, Haïti Libre and Juno7, but above all via radio and WhatsApp, with most sites remaining free and readable from abroad.

Le Nouvelliste, Haiti's senior daily since 1898

Haiti has a long press tradition: Le Moniteur, the official gazette, has appeared since the nineteenth century, and Le Nouvelliste was founded in 1898 in Port-au-Prince. It remains the reference daily, with its politics, economy and culture pages.

Which Haitian titles to read every day?

Le Nouvelliste and Le National are the capital's two general dailies. The first favours institutional and cultural news, the second offers more analysis. Sites such as Juno7, Haïti24 and Gazette Haïti publish political and security news around the clock.

French and Creole, two official languages

Since the 1987 Constitution, French and Haitian Creole have both been official languages. The written press remains mostly French-speaking, but radio speaks mainly Creole. AlterPresse, Vant Bèf Info and Rezo Nòdwès publish in both languages for a wider audience.

From Cap-Haïtien to the North-West

The regional press lives mainly through radio and local websites. Rezo Nòdwès follows news from Port-de-Paix and the North-West, while stations in Cap-Haïtien, Gonaïves or Jacmel report on roads, agriculture and security for listeners in the provinces.

WhatsApp, Facebook and Haitian news sites

In a country where electricity is irregular, the mobile phone is the main gateway to news. Juno7, Vant Bèf Info and Haïti Libre publish on Facebook and WhatsApp, where voice notes and rumours also circulate and need careful cross-checking.

AlterPresse and the Haitian news agencies

AlterPresse, an alternative agency founded in Port-au-Prince, offers investigations and social reporting in French and Creole. The Agence haïtienne de presse also distributes dispatches. The international agencies AFP, EFE and Associated Press round out coverage of the country's crises.

RTNH and the weight of private radio

Radio Télévision Nationale d'Haïti, known as RTNH, is the public broadcaster. The landscape is nevertheless dominated by dozens of private stations in the capital and the provinces, including Radio Kiskeya, which air news bulletins and political debate programmes in Creole.

A Haitian diaspora that also reports

The weekly Haïti en Marche, born in Miami, and community radio stations in New York relay the life of the diaspora. Montreal also has many Haitian outlets, presented alongside the Quebec press online for the community settled in Canada.

The gourde, remittances and football

The economy is covered in Le Nouvelliste's specialist pages: the gourde exchange rate published by the Bank of the Republic of Haiti, diaspora remittances and fuel prices. Football, with the national team and the local league, dominates the sports sections.

Working under the threat of gangs

Press freedom is guaranteed by the Constitution, but insecurity caused by armed gangs in Port-au-Prince weighs heavily on journalists. Several newsrooms and radio stations have had to leave their premises or cut back field reporting in recent years.

Comparing with the French-speaking Caribbean

Most Haitian sites are free. To widen the perspective, the Guadeloupe press and the Martinique press regularly cover Haitian migration and regional cooperation, in a French close to the one spoken and written in Port-au-Prince.

Blocked roads, rumours and confirmations

During political crises, rumours of road closures or attacks spread within minutes. Wait for confirmation from at least two recognised outlets, such as Le Nouvelliste and AlterPresse, or for an official statement from the Haitian National Police.

Following Haitian news from abroad

1. Read Le Nouvelliste or Le National every morning for political and institutional news from Port-au-Prince.
2. Add AlterPresse for social investigations and a site such as Juno7 for rolling news.
3. Listen to a Haitian radio station live online to hear debates in Creole.
4. Join the official WhatsApp channels of news outlets rather than anonymous groups that spread rumours.
5. Follow Rezo Nòdwès or a provincial station if your family lives outside the capital.
6. Check the date and author of every voice note or video before sharing it.

Access to Haitian media online

Practical pointers on the Haitian press

• Languages: French in print, Haitian Creole on radio
• Public broadcaster: Radio Télévision Nationale d'Haïti
• Reference daily: Le Nouvelliste
• Alternative agency: AlterPresse
• Time zone: UTC-5, with daylight saving
• Currency: Haitian gourde

What to avoid when reading Haitian news

• Forwarding a WhatsApp voice note announcing an attack without confirmation from a recognised outlet or the police.
• Taking a Facebook page that copies the Le Nouvelliste name for the newspaper's official account.
• Confusing Le Nouvelliste of Port-au-Prince with the Quebec daily of the same name published in Trois-Rivières, especially during a quick search engine query.
• Sharing photos of the 2010 or 2021 earthquake presented as a recent event.
• Treating statements or videos from an armed group posted on social media as information verified by a newsroom.

Common questions about Haitian media