The University of Costa Rica’s television channel (Channel 15, UCR) began broadcasting in 1982. Its content consists of journalistic, scientific, educational, and cultural programs as well as entertainment. The University Group also runs three radio stations: Radio University 96.7 FM, Radio U (101.9 FM), and Radio 870 AM.
Media assets
Television: Canal 15 UCR
Radio: RUCR Radio Emisoras
State Media Matrix Typology: Independent State-Funded (ISF)
Ownership and governance
The director of the media group UCR is appointed by the University through the University Council. The director of the television channel is a position that must be filled through a public competition and comes with a four-year mandate. The most recent appointment was Dr. Marlon Mora, formerly president of the College of Journalists and Professionals in Communication in Costa Rica and a professor at the university.
The broadcast group’s regulatory framework is the university’s Organic Statute, which states that the group is subordinated to the Vice-Rectory of the UCR.
The University of Costa Rica is a public institution but does not directly depend on the government, having guaranteed autonomy.
Source of funding and budget
According to budget figures published by the University, UCR TV had annual expenditures of CRC 1.15bn (US$1.9m) and its radio unit expenditures of CRC 775m (US$1.3 m) in 2020. Three years later, UCR TV was awarded a budget of CRC 1.046 bn (US$ 1.89m) and the radio channel received funding totalling CRC (US$ 1.4m), according to a financial report from the university.
Editorial independence
The broadcaster’s programming is not very critical of the government in editorial terms, but it does open up plural spaces to the voices of opposition parties. The content on the University television channel encourages debate and a plurality of views, with experts being able to freely comment on public policies that they can publicly criticize.
A set of General Regulations of the University of Costa Rica media ensure the editorial independence of the station.
Costa Rica has an organization of professional journalists with a code of ethics that is supposed to apply to all journalists in Costa Rica. However, UCR media do not have their own independent mechanism of assessment that would validate their editorial independence.
July 2024