Bolivia TV was established in 1969 through a decree adopted by the military government of General René Barrientos Ortuño. The transition from the military regime to civilian elections and democracy occurred between 1985 and 1999. Following the appointment of Evo Morales in 2006, the company Bolivia TV was created in April 2009 to spread the “official view of the Plurinational State of Bolivia.” Today the network operates two channels: 7, which airs varied content including newscasts, educational programs, concerts, and documentaries, and 7.2, which is focused on sports programming.
Media assets
Television: Bolivia TV
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
Bolivia TV is a state-owned company with autonomy in administrative, financial, legal, and technical management under the supervision of the Ministry of the Presidency, according to the decree that established it. The station is led by a general manager appointed by the ministry. After the change in government in 2020, the newly elected authorities led by the Socialist Party (MAS) replaced the management of all state media in Bolivia, including Bolivia TV and its local subsidiaries. This indicated that the government intended to strengthen its control over the state media.
Source of funding and budget
The decree that established Bolivia TV allows for mixed financing, including the sale of commercial advertising and services. However, most of the station’s income continues to come from the state, including funds in the form of state advertising.
In 2021, the station’s total budget was BOB 83.8m (US$ 11m), with 92% of the funding from the government (54% through state-paid ads and 37% from state budget allocations), as per an annual report. In 2023, the station had a total income of BOB 78.3m (US$ 11m), the largest part (BOB 59.5m) being generated through state ad contracts and fees for government productions, according to a financial report issued by the broadcaster. The 2023 figure increased from BOB 65.6m (US$ 9.27m) allocated by the government to Bolivia TV in 2022.
Editorial independence
In theory, Bolivia TV is supposed to be independent. According to the decree that established the broadcaster, the station is technically autonomous. However, in reality, the station is run by state authorities (the information ministry until 2020, and the Ministry of Presidency now), and routinely favors the government of the day.
Academic studies have recently documented the pro-government bias at Bolivia TV, which typically gives significantly more airtime to government officials than to opposition representatives.
Article 107 of the Bolivian Constitution states, “information and opinions disseminated through the mass media must adhere to the principles of truthfulness and responsibility.” Additionally, a National Ethics Court, appointed by journalists’ groups, is currently active in Bolivia. However, during this research round, no independent assessment mechanism to verify Bolivia TV’s independence was identified.
July 2024