Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP), is the public service broadcaster in Portugal. It runs four nationwide television and three nationwide radio channels as well as a bevy of satellite and cable channels. The company in its current form has been operating since 2007 when Radiodifusão Portuguesa (RDP, the public service radio broadcaster) and Radiotelevisão Portuguesa (the public service television broadcaster) were merged.
Media assets
Television: RTP1, RTP2, RTP3, RTP Memória, RTP Madeira, RTP Açores, RTP Internacional, RTP África
Radio: Antena 1, Antena 2, Antena 3, RDP Internacional, RDP África, Rádio Lusitania, Rádio Vivace, Rádio ZigZag, Antena 1 Fado, Antena 1 Memória, Antena 1 Vida, Antena 2 Ópera, Antena 2 Jazzin
State Media Matrix Typology: Independent Public (IP)
Ownership and governance
RTP is a public limited enterprise. The government created a system of governance and management to ensure that the government has no control over the management and governing bodies of the broadcaster.
Thus, the main governing structure at RTP is the Independent General Council consisting of six members. The government and the Opinion Council each appoint two members. The Opinion Council is a statutory body at RTP appointed by NGOs to ensure the participation of civil society in the management of the public broadcaster. The other two members of the Independent General Council are “co-opted” by the four members appointed in the first place. This appointment formula is meant to ensure independence of the RTP’s governing structures from the government.
RTP also has a Board of Directors consisting of three members who are appointed by the Opinion Council following a hearing in the Portuguese parliament.
Source of funding and budget
RTP is funded through a combination of broadcasting contribution tax, a sort of license fee that all households in Portugal pay, and advertising revenues. The tax is incorporated in electricity bills. In 2021, RTP had a budget of nearly €223m, the broadcast tax accounting for over 80% of that, according to an annual report from the company. In 2022, the broadcaster had a budget of some €228.8m, the broadcast tax accounting for over 80% of that, according to a company annual report.
Editorial independence
There are no rules imposed by the government on RTP to follow a certain editorial line. An ad hoc content analysis carried out for this report as well as academic studies indicated that RTP is insulated from government pressures.
The Concession Contract for the public radio and television service guarantees the editorial independence of the station, forbidding government bodies to interfere with RTP’s editorial coverage.
RTP has two ombudsmen, one for Viewers and another one for Listeners. Their mission is to ensure that RTP fulfils its duties towards the public. The Ombudsmen are independent from the company and the results of their work are collected in regular reports that are sent to the broadcaster’s management, which is expected to use them to improve the broadcaster’s editorial coverage.
September 2023