In 1996, the National Institute of Radio and Television of Peru (IRTP) was established to manage Peru’s public broadcast media. The organization operates TV Perú, the group’s main television channel, which has a history dating back to 1958. TV Peru Noticias focuses on news content, TV Peru International caters to audiences in other countries, and IPe Channel primarily focuses on children and youth.
IRTP also operates Nacional, a radio channel established in 1937 to promote culture, education, and informative content. The group also includes Radio La Crónica, a station that primarily broadcasts entertainment programming and covers only Lima, the country’s capital.
Media assets
Television: TV Perú, TV Peru Noticias, TV Peru Internacional, Canal IPe
Radio: Radio Nacional, Radio La Crónica
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
IRTP was created by Legislative Decree No. 829 as an “autonomous public” institute. Although it is considered autonomous, IRTP is, in fact, a part of the government. Initially, it was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, but today it falls under the Ministry of Culture.
The institute comprises a Board of Directors, including a President and four members, an executive president, and a general management, as outlined in Article 5 of its Rules of Procedure.
The Executive President and management of the IRTP are appointed and may be removed by the Board. The President of the Republic appoints the Board with the endorsement of the Minister of Culture.
In May 2023, Ninoska Chandia was appointed president of IRTP, a decision criticized by independent observers who say Chandia is close to Peruvian President Dina Boluarte. Hence, her appointment led to increased government control over IRTP’s media.
Source of funding and budget
In 2022, the IRTP had a budget of PEN 132.5m (US$33.9 m), most of it coming from the state budget (although the broadcaster is allowed to earn additional revenues from selling services). In 2024, the government approved a budget of PEN 97.3m (US$ 25.8m) to cover IRTP’s media operations. The station’s management was criticized for spending nearly 78% of this budget between January and April 2024.
Editorial independence
The government maintains tight control over the editorial agenda of media outlets run by IRTP by naming the Board of Directors and having IRTP operate under the wing of the Ministry of Culture. TV Peru’s website states that its mission is to promote national unity in line with the government’s goals. Content analyses conducted for this project in 2021, 2022 and 2024 indicated that while TV Peru includes opposition MPs in its programs, its overall editorial coverage is aligned with the government’s official interests and views.
For example, sharing news related to health or education is beneficial for society. However, regarding politically charged topics, the media under IRTP tends to favor the government’s perspective. Interviews with government officials allow them to showcase their achievements and programs. While interviewees could criticize the authorities, the TV hosts never did. The TV programs by IRTP seemed to serve as a connection between the government and the audience. Programs targeting corruption among politicians mostly focus on those not in power.
The editorial coverage consistently favors the government and doesn’t allow opposition representatives to question those in power. A content analysis revealed that after the election of a new president in July 2021, the state-run media controlled by the IRTP has maintained its positive coverage of the newly elected administration.
The journalists at IRTP work under significant pressure and are often required to suppress critical stories. In 2023, several journalists and managers complained that they were suddenly fired without valid reasons. IRTP responded by claiming that those employees had voluntarily resigned from their positions.
IRTP operates according to the Organization and Operation Regulations, which establish the outlet’s nature and objectives. However, it’s important to note that this document does not guarantee IRTP’s editorial independence.
No independent assessment mechanism validating the editorial independence of IRTP’s media outlets has been identified.
August 2024