SINART is the public media system operator in Costa Rica. In 2017, SINART underwent a rebranding process. Channel 13 was replaced by 13 Costa Rica TV, and the radio was no longer called National but started to run as Costa Rica Radio 101.5 FM. SINART does not publish any print media anymore. Its television channel broadcasts news, educational programs, music, cultural shows, and entertainment. The Congress also has a contract with SINART to broadcast live on radio all its sessions.
Media assets
Television: Canal 13
Radio: Radio Nacional
State Media Matrix Typology: Captured Public/State-Managed (CaPu)
Ownership and governance
Article 7 of Law No. 8346, known as the law on SINART, states that the company is led by an Executive Board that comprises a president (who is appointed by the government), a representative of the colleges of Costa Rica linked to the social sciences field (proposed by the colleges but also appointed by the government), a representative of the College of Rectors, a representative of the National Council of Rectors, a representative of the Ministry of Culture (appointed by the Minister or Acting Minister), an official of the Ministry of Education (appointed by the Minister or Acting Minister), a joint representative of the Ministries of Science and the Environment, a representative of the rectors of the private universities, and a prosecutor appointed by the Office of the Attorney General of the Republic.
The Executive Board appoints and removes the director of the group. In March 2023, the government appointed Fernando Sandí as the new president of SINART.
Source of funding and budget
According to SINART’s managers, 30% of the company’s financial resources come from the public budget administered by the Ministry of Culture. The remaining 70% is generated through commercial services, including advertising sales. SINART also sells advertising to government agencies and public institutions.
In 2022, SINART had a total budget of CRC 7.7bn (US$ 11.5m), most of it, CRC 5.1bn being the company’s self-generated revenues, and the remainder coming from the state budget, according to a financial report.
In 2023, SINART had a budget of CRC 5.8bn (US$ 10.5m), according to data from the company. Of that, some CRC 1.2bn was a state budget allocation. In 2024, the company has been operating with a total budget of CRC 5.35bn (US$ 9.9m), according to the same source.
In recent years, SINART has come under critical scrutiny, with articles in various media outlets in the country questioning its spending records.
In June 2024, a report by the Costa Rican Parliament found that the government politicized the state advertising funding mechanism by concentrating its budget allocated for official ad spending in SINART.
Editorial independence
An ad hoc content analysis carried out for this project in 2020, which was focused on a series of recent newscasts, found that friendly interviews with government officials are standard on SINART’s channels. Still, opposition political figures are also featured. News that is not necessarily favorable to the government is also aired, albeit only in a descriptive manner. Overall, there was no evidence showing government editorial control at SINART.
However, in recent years, accusations of censorship at SINART have intensified. Journalists interviewed for this report in April 2023 and again in May 2024 confirmed that various topics are forbidden by SINART’s management. Various experts and politicians have accused the channels run by SINART of churning out propaganda for President Rodrigo Chaves and his close associates.
The Law on SINART has several provisions envisaged to guarantee the broadcaster’s independence. Article 4 of the Law states that SINART must observe principles of impartiality, truthfulness, respect for political, religious, social and cultural pluralism, as well as promote free debates on relevant issues. SINART also has a Style Manual that lists ethical commitments on news coverage that the broadcaster’s journalists must abide by. SINART has a set of so-called Autonomous Regulations, approved by the company’s Executive Board that came into force in October 2020. These regulations consist of rules that govern all internal activities and processes at SINART.
No independent assessment or oversight mechanism charged with validating the editorial independence of SINART’s media outlets has been identified.
July 2024