Sierra Leone’s past is marked by political violence, an overly centralised government, and a ten-year civil war which devastated the country. The country lacks a truly independent media sector; the national media is dominated by elites in the country’s capital, Freetown. Marginalised groups such as women, youth and those living in rural areas have had limited access to accurate, independent information and to participation in the country’s national decision-making processes. In a country of extreme poverty, limited electricity and only 41 percent literacy, radio is the preferred channel for information and communication for up to 90 percent of the population, although the Sierra Leonean media market is diverse and growing.