Radio Nacional TGW is a radio broadcaster that started operations in 1930 under the military government of General Lázaro Chacón. Then, it took the name Radio Nacional de Guatemala.
Media assets
Radio: Radio Nacional TGW
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
Radio TGW is a government-owned broadcaster. According to Article 7 of the Law on Radiocommunications, the General Directorate for National Radio and Television of Guatemala, which is subordinated to the Ministry of Communications, is responsible for coordinating the operations of all the media outlets administered by the state. The station’s director is appointed by the presidential administration.
Source of funding and budget
According to the station’s annual report, TGW’s annual budget in 2023 was GTQ 15.4m (US$ 1.9m), most of which comes from the government. The funding is allocated by the General Directorate for National Radio and Television. The station is not allowed to carry advertising. It receives the highest amount of state budget among all state-administered media in Guatemala.
Editorial independence
The Ministry of Communications defines Radio Nacional TGW’s content policy. The journalistic reporting on Radio Nacional TGW is purely propaganda supporting the President. The station often refers to the government’s care and various efforts made for the good of its people. An informal content analysis of Radio Nacional TGW carried out during April-May 2023 did not identify any critique of the government in its reporting. The government’s right to control the editorial coverage of the channel is enshrined in legal provisions.
A government decree of 2019 defines the government’s relations with official media outlets (in articles 39 and 40 to TGW). Far from ensuring the editorial independence of TGW, these rules empower the government to control the content of state media. No domestic statute guarantees the independence of TGW.
July 2024