SERTV offers a television program schedule with news, sports (especially baseball), cultural events, and religious ceremonies. Its radio programming is similar, with two main radio stations, Nacional FM and Crisol Radio (FM).
Media assets
Television: SERTV
Radio: Crisol, Nacional FM
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
SERTV was established by Law No. 58 of 2005 as a public legal entity with legal personality.
The highest authority in SERTV is the Advisory Board (Consejo Directivo). Most of the positions on this board, including its head, are under government control. The Board is chaired by the Minister of Education, another seat is held by the Minister of Government and Justice (through the National Directorate for Social Communication Media), another one by the Rector of the University of Panama, two other positions are reserved for MPs (members of the national assembly), and one for each the National Council of Education and the General Government Comptroller’s Office.
Two members are appointed from civil society, but they are also proposed by the government. SERTV’s operations are managed by a board of directors, which includes a general director and two deputy directors, one responsible for radio and the other for television broadcasting. The general director serves a five-year mandate, which is currently held by Giselle González.
Source of funding and budget
SERTV’s budget primarily comes from state financing, although the broadcaster can also accept donations and sell its services according to the law. In 2020, the state allocated a total of PAB 19.4m (US$ 19.4m) to SERTV. In 2021, the allocation remained largely unchanged, as per the latest budget reports from the broadcaster. In 2023, SERTV operated with a budget of PAB 13.43m (US$ 13.43m).
Editorial independence
SERTV presents itself as an organization guided by impartiality and pluralism, as outlined in Law No. 58, which created the company. However, in reality, it operates as a pro-government platform. The law also states that SERTV’s purpose is to promote and spread “the cultural and educational policies of the Panamanian State in coordination with the Ministry of Education and the University of Panama.”
The government has a significant influence on the broadcaster’s editorial agenda primarily due to its control, via the Ministry of Education, over the broadcaster’s governance structures. This includes the government’s appointment of the organization’s director.
An informal content analysis conducted for this report in March-April 2024 found that SERTV often features complimentary articles and friendly interviews with government officials. Government officials frequently discuss their youth-related work achievements on the show. A Profundidad (In-Depth), a news program led by journalist Carlos Rivera, routinely cites statements of government officials and highlights the government’s actions. The same tone is present in the content published on the SERTV’s website.
SERTV follows a code of ethics that directs the work of its journalists, and it also has internal regulations that outline key rules for the organization’s performance. However, no regulations or statutes ensuring SERTV’s editorial independence have been found in this research.
July 2024