The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC) is a public service media company founded in 1953 as the Cyprus Broadcasting Service. Currently, the broadcaster operates four radio channels, two television stations, and an international service (RIK Sat) that serves the Cypriot diaspora.
Media assets
Television: CyBC 1, CyBC 2, CyBC HD, RIK Sat, RIK World
Radio: First Channel, Second Channel, Third Channel, Fourth Channel, External Service
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
CyBC was established as a legal entity by the CyBC Law. It is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of nine members appointed by the country’s government (Council of Ministers). In January 2022, Thanasis Tsokos was appointed CEO of CyBC by the company’s board.
Source of funding and budget
CyBC was initially funded through revenues obtained from a tax on electricity, which was essentially a disguised form of license fee added to every household’s electricity bill. Since 2000, most of the broadcaster’s funding comes from the government through a subsidy from the state budget.
According to the latest publicly available data, the broadcaster received a state subsidy of €32.8m in 2019. In 2022, CyBC admitted to financial problems and pledged to “modernize” its operations. MPs castigated CyBC for employing too many people and asked the broadcaster to trim its expenditures.
In March 2024, Parliament approved CyBC’s budget of €39.3m, with €26.7m allocated to personnel expenses. This approval occurred during a period of tension between the staff and the broadcaster’s management, as unions threatened to strike if their salaries were not paid.
In May 2024, the government launched an investigation into CyBC’s general manager, Thanasis Tsokos, who is accused of financial mismanagement.
Editorial independence
After 1959, CyBC ceased to operate as a government department, meaning there are no government-imposed rules on the broadcaster’s editorial policy.
However, the government exerts indirect control over the station’s editorial coverage by having full decision-making power over the station’s yearly budget and board of directors. This allows the political party in power to influence the station’s editorial decisions.
Academic studies have shown that CyBC serves the interests of the political party in power. Last year, concerns were raised about the criteria used to invite MPs to shows aired by the broadcaster, which sparked a heated debate. Accusations of canceling television programs for political reasons persisted, with various media outlets labeling CyBC as a “government mouthpiece.”
No domestic statute or independent assessment mechanism to validate the editorial independence of CyBC has been identified.
August 2024