Radiodiffusion Télévision du Burkina (RTB) is the national state broadcaster of Burkina Faso, based in the capital city Ouagadougou. It was founded in 1959 under the name of Radio Haute-Volta.
Media assets
Television: RTB Television
Radio: RTB Radio
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
RTB was created as a public establishment under the control of the state. The outlet is subordinate to the Ministry of Communication and Relations with Parliament, which makes all the management appointments at the broadcaster. In 2015, the government (Council of Ministers) adopted Law no. 2015-059 that gave RTB the status of state company. The staff at RTB are employed as public clerks. The Director General of the station is appointed through a government decree. In July 2023, Galip Some was named general director of the RTB following a decision of the government.
Source of funding and budget
According to the Law no. 2015-059, RTB is funded through a combination of state subsidies, advertising and other forms of self-generated income. RTB does not publish financial reports about its activity. Information from local journalists and experts indicates that the station is predominantly funded by the government.
Editorial independence
There are no formal editorial rules that would oblige RTB to favor authorities in its coverage and often government officials claim that RTB has total editorial autonomy. However, local journalists and experts say that the government exerts significant influence at the station, which is proved by various incidents where state authorities were criticized for their interference with the broadcaster’s coverage. An ad hoc content analysis also found that the station’s coverage is very much dominated by pro-government coverage.
No domestic statute and no oversight or assessment mechanism to validate RTB’s editorial independence have been identified.
September 2023