Office de Radiodiffusion et Télévision du Benin (ORTB)

Office de radiodiffusion et télévision du Bénin (ORTB) is the public broadcaster in Benin. Its history goes back to 1972 when it was established as Office de radiodiffusion et de télévision du Dahomey (ORTD). After the country was renamed Benin, the broadcaster was also renamed as ORTB. The broadcaster airs today four radio channels and one television station: ORTB (generalist programming). It shut down the channel BB24 (focused on business) in June 2023.


Media assets

Television: ORTB TV

Radio: Radio Benin, Radio Parakou, Atlantic FM, Radio Benin Alafia

State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)


Ownership and governance

ORTB was established as a public entity through the decree no. 75-43 of 1975 (another decree, no. 81-012 of 1981, amended the original one). After 1990, when Benin adopted a multi-party democratic system, ORTB’s statute was changed again several times, the most important amendment being the decree no. 99-315 of 1999 that turned ORTB into a “public establishment with social, scientific and cultural character.” Today, ORTB is regulated by the decree 252-2005 of 2005.

ORTB is accountable to the Ministry of Communication and Post, according to information from the ministry.

The highest governing body at ORTB is its Board of Directors composed of five members (it was composed of seven members until July 2022 when the president of Benin approved a decree amending the legal provisions on ORTB). All of them are appointed by government ministries and the country’s president. Before July 2022, four of the seven members of the Board were government representatives (mostly representatives of various ministries), two were people appointed by the communication ministry and one was an ORTB staff representative.

Source of funding and budget

ORTB is fully funded by the government, according to the decree 252-2005. The yearly state budget allocation for the station is based on a decision of the government upon recommendation of the communication and post ministry.

Editorial independence

There are no regulations or rules imposed by the government on ORTB with regards to its editorial coverage. However, indirectly, the government intervenes on a regular basis in the station’s internal editorial affairs. According to RSF, ORTB is under the tight control of President Patrice Talon.

No statue and no oversight or assessment mechanism that would validate ORTB’s editorial independence have been identified.

September 2023