With its four national languages, its cultural diversity and economical status, Switzerland has long had one of the best developed and most complete media sectors in Europe.
Still, due to its small territorial size, it is strongly influenced by the media of larger bordering countries, with foreign journals, radios and televisions popular throughout the country. The broadcasting sector is dominated by the SRG SSR, subsidized by the federal government, while the printed press is free of governmental involvement.
Switzerland was ranked seventh in 2008 in the annual "Worldwide press freedom ranking of countries" published by Reporters Without Borders, tied with Belgium, Latvia, New Zealand, Slovakia and Sweden.