It is a few minutes to broadcast on Tunisia's largest TV channel Wataniya, and host Najoua Becha goes through the news telegrams where she is in the make - up room.  

- We have freedom of speech now, so I do not have to wait for a powerful person to call from the presidential palace and dictate what I can say.

No one can force me to report on the president, she says. 

The TV news here in Tunisia used to start with a report about the dictator Ben Ali.

But in the decade since the protests against the dictatorship began, the media is part of the change.

The protests toppled Tunisia's dictator

Then, ten years ago, Wataniya and other major media outlets kept quiet about the demonstrations that were gaining momentum in the city of Sidi Bouzid, after vegetable salesman Mohammed Bouazizi set himself on fire.  

The news was instead shared on social media and many recognized themselves in the oppression of government and the poverty that led to the tragic event.

The protests that broke out overthrew Tunisia's dictator Ben Ali, and inspired similar revolts throughout the Middle East and North Africa - the so-called "Arab Spring".  

- On Facebook and other social media, they told what happened.

The revolution became a turning point for the media, says Saoussen Chahed, editor of tonight's news broadcast on Wataniya.

Media freedom - the only success

Just tonight, the program includes a report on unrest in a city in southern Tunisia, where citizens are protesting against a lack of household gas and poor service from the authorities.  

Although Tunisia is the successful example, the only country that introduced democracy after the Arab Spring, the challenges are great.

Precisely reports of protests have become more common in the past year.  

- Perhaps media freedom is the only success after the revolution.

The economy is lousy and unemployment is high, says Chihaoui Ali, whom we meet in central Tunis.  

- During the dictatorship, we were scared, says taxi driver Nour Chtara.

No one dared talk about politics because it could lead to you ending up in jail.

I did not even talk to my brother.

He was afraid of me and I was afraid of him.