Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP) is the public service broadcaster in Portugal. It operates four nationwide television and three nationwide radio channels, as well as several satellite and cable channels. The company has been operating in its current form since 2007, when Radiodifusão Portuguesa (RDP), the public service radio broadcaster, and Radiotelevisão Portuguesa, the public service television broadcaster, were merged.
Media assets
Television: RTP1, RTP2, RTP3, RTP Memória, RTP Madeira, RTP Açores, RTP Internacional, RTP África
Radio: Antena 1, Antena 2, Antena 3, RDP Internacional, RDP África, Rádio Lusitania, Rádio Vivace, Rádio ZigZag, Antena 1 Fado, Antena 1 Memória, Antena 1 Vida, Antena 2 Ópera, Antena 2 Jazzin
State Media Matrix Typology: Independent Public (IP)
Ownership and governance
RTP is a publicly traded company. The government established a governance and management system to ensure independence from government control.
The main governing structure at RTP is the Independent General Council, which consists of six members. Two members are appointed by the government, two members are appointed by the Opinion Council, and the remaining two members are “co-opted” by the first four members. The Opinion Council is a statutory body at RTP appointed by NGOs to ensure the participation of civil society in the management of the public broadcaster. This appointment formula is designed to ensure the independence of RTP’s governing structures from the government.
RTP also has a Board of Directors consisting of three members appointed by the Opinion Council following a hearing in the Portuguese parliament.
Source of funding and budget
RTP is funded through a combination of broadcasting contribution tax, which is a type of license fee that all households in Portugal pay, and advertising revenues. The tax is included in electricity bills.
In 2021, RTP had a budget of nearly €223m, with the broadcast tax accounting for over 80% of that, according to the company’s annual report. In 2022, the broadcaster had a budget of approximately €230.6m, with the broadcast tax still accounting for over 80% of that, according to another annual report from the company. In 2023, the company’s total income reached €235.1m.
Editorial independence
There are no government-imposed rules requiring RTP to adhere to a specific editorial stance. Ad hoc content analysis conducted in 2023 and 2024 for this report and academic studies indicate that RTP is shielded from government influence.
The concession contract for the public radio and television service ensures the station’s editorial independence, prohibiting government bodies from interfering with RTP’s editorial coverage.
RTP has two ombudsmen, one for viewers and another for listeners. Their mission is to ensure that RTP fulfills its duties towards the public. The ombudsmen are independent of the company, and the results of their work are collected in regular reports sent to the broadcaster’s management. The management is expected to use these reports to improve the broadcaster’s editorial coverage.
August 2024