Radio Television Canaria (RTVC)
Radio Televisión Canaria (RTVC) is a public broadcaster that serves the Canary Islands, operating both a television and a radio channel.
Media assets
Television: TV Canaria (HD)
Radio: Canarias Radio
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
Radiotelevisión Canaria (RTVC) was established as a public entity under the regional government of the Canary Islands by Law No. 13/2014. For years, the broadcaster operated with its governing bodies—including the Governing Council—not fully constituted, which led to what local authorities described as “absolute blockage and institutional paralysis.”
To address this, the government of the Canary Islands introduced exceptional governance mechanisms. In October 2019, Parliament appointed Francisco Moreno García as Administrador Único (sole administrator), granting him full management authority to ensure the continuity of RTVC’s operations until a properly constituted Governing Council could take over. Moreno held this position until October 2023, when he left to become the new director of news at Mediaset España.
Later that year, through a decree-law, the Canary Islands government created a new figure, the Administrador General (General Administrator), to replace the Administrador Único and provide a more stable management structure. According to Law No. 13/2014, the Governing Council of RTVC, composed of five members appointed by the Parliament of the Canary Islands, remains the entity’s highest governing body.
Source of funding and budget
RTVC is mainly funded through state subsidies. In 2022, the government of the Canary Islands provided a subsidy of over €58.1 million, which constituted almost the entire broadcaster’s budget for that year. In 2023, RTVC’s budget slightly increased to €60 million.
Editorial independence
The law establishing RTVC safeguards the broadcaster’s editorial independence and also created the News Council to further protect it. The News Council’s work is governed by an internal set of rules approved by the Governing Council. Another oversight mechanism is the Audience Office, which receives and addresses audience complaints and suggestions related to RTVC’s programs.
However, criticism of RTVC’s editorial coverage has arisen, and there is evidence of government interference in RTVC’s editorial decisions in recent years. One notable incident in February 2024 involved a journalist being interrupted on air while reporting on issues that portrayed authorities negatively. This led in 2024 to the reclassification of RTVC as “State Controlled” (SC) in the State Media Matrix typology, a downgrade from its previous status.
Evidence of government control continued to emerge. In July 2025, Eldiario.es reported that Canary Islands president Fernando Clavijo had effectively sidelined RTVC’s administrator general, María Méndez, by directing the public broadcaster’s operations through his vice-counselor and installing a newly created “director of Media and Content,” widely perceived as a political overseer. The move has sparked criticism from unions and staff, who denounced the process as opaque and discretionary, while programming changes, such as the abrupt cancellation of established shows and the awarding of contracts to external producers with political ties, were cited as evidence of direct presidential interference in RTVC’s editorial and management decisions.
August 2025