Canal UTV was launched in 2008 as a television channel of the National Autonomous University of Honduras with a primarily educational focus. It presents itself as “the first educational public channel of Honduras.” The channel only acquired nationwide coverage in 2017.
Media assets
Television: Canal de la Universidad Autónoma de Honduras (UTV)
State Media Matrix Typology: Independent State-Funded (ISF)
Ownership and governance
UTV, unlike other state-administered media outlets, is governed by an editorial university council to ensure its independence.
Source of funding and budget
UTV receives public funding for its activities through the university that operates it, as reported by local journalists and experts interviewed for this report in May 2024. The most recent publicly available financial data on the university dates back to 2009.
Editorial independence
UTV is the sole state-funded outlet in Honduras with editorial autonomy and an educational profile that distinguishes it from other state-administered media. UTV operates independently thanks to the autonomy safeguards enjoyed by the university that operates it.
There is currently no independent assessment or oversight mechanism responsible for validating the independence of UTV. However, the channel is managed by an independent editorial council that ensures the programs are produced independently. The government does not interfere with the station’s programming, mainly because these programs do not play a significant role in the country’s news market.
July 2024