Abstract We examine the patterns of media ownership in 97 countries around the world. We find that almost universally the largest media firms are owned by the government or by private families Government ownership is more pervasive in broadcasting than in the printed media. Government ownership of the media is generally associated with less press freedom, fewer political and economic rights, and, most conspicuously, inferior social outcomes in the areas of education and health. It does not appear that adverse consequences of government ownership of the media are restricted solely to the instances of government monopoly Simeon diankov Caralee McLiesh The World Bank The World Bank 1818H Street NW 1818H Street NW Washington, DC 20433 Washington, DC 20433 Sdiankovl@worldbank. or cmacliesha worldbank. org Tatiana Nenova Andrei Shleifer The World Bank Harvard U 1818H Street NW Department of Economics Washington, DC 20433 Cambridge MA 02138 tnenova(@worldbank. org and nber shleifer(@harvard. eduAbstract We examine the patterns of media ownership in 97 countries around the world. We find that almost universally the largest media firms are owned by the government or by private families. Government ownership is more pervasive in broadcasting than in the printed media. Government ownership of the media is generally associated with less press freedom, fewer political and economic rights, and, most conspicuously, inferior social outcomes in the areas of education and health. It does not appear that adverse consequences of government ownership of the media are restricted solely to the instances of government monopoly. Simeon Djankov Caralee McLiesh The World Bank The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW 1818 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20433 Washington, DC 20433 Sdjankov@worldbank.org cmacliesh@worldbank.org Tatiana Nenova Andrei Shleifer The World Bank Harvard University 1818 H Street, NW Department of Economics Washington, DC 20433 Cambridge, MA 02138 tnenova@worldbank.org and NBER ashleifer@harvard.edu