Radio Televisión Ceuta (RTVCE) is the public broadcaster that provides coverage for the autonomous city area of Ceuta. It was established in 2000 and operates television and radio services.
Media assets
Television: TV Ceuta
Radio: Radio Ceuta
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
RTVCE is a public entity that falls under the local government of Ceuta. There is a lack of information detailing the internal administrative rules at RTVCE. According to local journalists and experts, the highest governing body at RTVCE is its Board of Directors, whose members are appointed by the authorities in Ceuta.
Source of funding and budget
Ceuta’s local government fully funds RTVCE. According to media reports, the government allocation for RTVCE in 2021 is €2.7m. No further information is available about the broadcaster’s current budget. In 2022, the company had a budget of €3.05m, according to media reports.
Editorial independence
There was no evidence of systematic editorial control by the government at RTVCE in the past. However, in recent years, we have documented government control at RTVCE by interviewing journalists in Ceuta from April to May 2024. They mentioned that the broadcaster does not permit criticism of the authorities, which exert significant influence over RTVCE’s editorial agenda.
Gonzalo Testa’s appointment as the new head of RTVCE in July 2024 received sharp criticism from both the political opposition (Vox party) and local journalists. Media reports suggested that Testa was appointed solely due to his loyalty to Ceuta Ya!, a left-wing political party in Ceuta.
Following these developments, we have reclassified RTVCE from the Independent State-Funded and State-Managed/Owned (ISFM) category to the State-Controlled (SC) category in our State Media Matrix typology.
During our research for this report, we identified no statute or independent mechanism of assessment or oversight that would validate RTVCE’s editorial independence.
August 2024