People’s Television Network (PTV) is the state-controlled broadcaster owned by the Government of the Philippines. The broadcaster was established in 1974. PTV operates a chain of 16 television stations available across the country.
Media assets
Television: PTV 4 Manila, PTV 8 Cordillera, PTV 4 Ylocos, PTV 4 Palawan, PTV 4 Naga, PTV 2 Guimaras, PTV 10 Dumaguete, PTV 11 Cebu, PTV 8 Tacloban, PTV 12 Calbayog, PTV 7 Zamboanga, PTV 11 Sibugay, PTV 11 Davao, PTV 8 Agusan Del Sur, PTV 8 Cotabato, PTV 8 Kidapawan
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
PTV is officially run by People’s Television Network, Inc. (PTNI), a government agency subordinated to the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), which is the country’s presidential administration. PTNI is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of five members who are appointed by the President of the Philippines. PTNI was created through the Act 7306, later amended.
Source of funding and budget
PTV has been for many years subsidized by the government, receiving allocations from the General Appropriations Act, which is the country’s state budget. The broadcaster also generated revenue by selling its airtime and ads. There were significant fluctuations in the income of PTV from year to year, depending on the government’s decisions. However, generally, the government has provided the bulk of cash for PTV’s operation every year until 2022.
According to a company annual report, PTV had a total budget of PHP 785m (US$ 15.7m) in 2020, the state subsidy accounting for over 78% of that. The remainder was accounted for by revenues generated through sale of air space to third-parties and advertising sales. In 2021, PTV had a total budget of PHP 780m (US$ 15.5m), the government subsidy covering nearly 72% of it. The following year, the government significantly reduced its contribution to some PHP 181m, which was less than the revenue generated by the broadcast group from commercial activities, according to a company annual report. However, the state continues to cover most of the expenditure and losses of the company.
Editorial independence
PTV is closely supervised and censored by the presidential administration, according to local journalists and experts.
The broadcaster openly describes itself as “the country’s premier source of government news and information” and has no statute that establishes the editorial independence.
October 2023