Televisão Pública de Angola (TPA) is the national broadcaster in Angola, headquartered in the capital city of Luanda. It operates TPA1, its main channel, TPA2, a channel focused on youth, and TPA International, a channel that caters to foreign audiences and to the Angolans living abroad. TPA was established in 1975.
Media assets
Television: TPA1, TPA2, TPA International
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
TPA is a company owned by the government of Angola. The broadcaster’s highest governing body is the Board of Directors consisting of seven people who are appointed by the President of the country. TPA is subordinated to the Ministry of Telecommunications, IT and Social Communication.
Source of funding and budget
In 2020, TPA had a total budget of AOA 11.6bn (US$ 19.5m), according to a company report. The state budget accounts for some 87% of the total budget.
Editorial independence
There are no formal rules imposed by the government on TPA’s editorial coverage. However, indirectly, the government is constantly pushing the station to favorably cover the official policies and activities of the country’s authorities. The editorial coverage of TPA has thus been often criticized for its pro-government bias and for manipulating facts to favor the government. In 2021, a letter from a TPA’s journalist revealed that the station bans dissemination of information about political parties in opposition.
No statue and no oversight or assessment mechanism to validate TPA’s editorial independence have been identified.
September 2023