The Romanian Radio Company (SRR), also known as Radio Romania, is Romania’s public service radio network. It operates national channels, a network of regional stations, and Radio Romania International, which broadcasts in 11 languages for a global audience. Additionally, the broadcaster runs its own news monitoring agency, Rador.
Media assets
Radio: National- Radio România Actualități, Radio Antena Satelor, Radio România Cultural, Radio România Muzical, Radio Romania International, Radio3Net Florian Pittiș, Radio România Junior; Regional- București FM, Radio Cluj, Radio Constanța, Radio Vacanța, Radio Craiova, Radio Iași, Radio Reșița, Radio Târgu Mureș, Radio Timișoara; Foreign: Radio Chișinău (Moldova)
News agency: RADOR
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
The organizational framework of SRR follows the same guidelines as those of TVR, in accordance with Law 41 of 1994. The primary governing body at SRR is the Board of Directors, which consists of 13 members appointed by Parliament. The board chair is also appointed by Parliament and serves a four-year term. The members are nominated as follows: eight by Parliament, two by the TVR staff, and one by the presidency, the government, and the political parties representing ethnic minorities.
SRR board members have frequently faced criticism for corruption, often being appointed based on their political affiliations.
Source of funding and budget
A significant portion of Radio Romania’s income is derived from the state budget. In 2021, state funding made up around 94% of the station’s total budget of RON 373m (€75.6m), as per the company’s annual report.
In 2022, the broadcaster’s budget reached RON 382m (€77.4m). It increased by nearly 9% in 2023 to RON 415m (€83.5m), as approved by Parliament in December 2022. According to a news report, the government approved a budget of RON 436m (€87.4m) for 2024.
Editorial independence
SRR operates under strict censorship imposed by the station’s politically appointed leadership. Despite journalists at the station speaking out against repeated attacks on their editorial independence, the situation has not changed in years, according to local journalists and experts.
SRR is supposed to function as an independent public service broadcaster as per Law 41 of 1994. However, despite having internal guidelines for impartial reporting, SRR journalists are allegedly pressured by the management to favor certain political supporters, as claimed by journalists in Romania familiar with the station’s operations interviewed for this report in May 2023 and March 2024.
During the latest round of research, no independent oversight mechanism to validate SRR’s editorial independence was identified.
August 2024