Public Service Media (PSM) is the public broadcaster in the Maldives. It was established in 2015.
Media assets
Television: TVM, PSM News, Munnaaru TV, Yes TV, Maldives TV, TVM Qur’an
Radio: Dhivehiraajjeyge Adu, Dhivehi FM, Dheenuge Adu
Publishing: Maldeeb
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
Public Service Media (PSM) was established by the Public Service Media Act of 2015 as a 100% government-owned public service corporation.
Prior to 2015, the Maldives Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) was legally responsible for providing public service broadcasting in the Maldives. MBC’s predecessor was the Maldives National Broadcasting Corporation (MNBC), which operated between 2008 and 2012. Until 2008, state radio and television in the Maldives were operated as separate institutions.
The creation of the PSM in 2015 was criticized by media freedom NGOs, who argued that it was a move aimed at bringing public media in the Maldives under tight government control.
PSM is run by a board of directors appointed by the president’s office and approved by the Privatization and Corporatization Board (PCB), a state agency. The board is highly politicized and often incomplete, as the PCB delays approval of individuals nominated by the presidency.
Source of funding and budget
PSM is largely funded by the government. However, the broadcaster also states that it provides commercial services. Between 2015 and 2021, PSM received a total of MVR 475m (US$ 30.6m) in government funding. This includes capital, grants, subsidies and support for recurrent expenditure, according to a report by Transparency Maldives.
Editorial independence
According to the PSM Act, PSM’s mission is to provide television, radio and online media services to the general public. According to its website, “PSM strives to sustain the spirit of unity, peace and harmony in the society.”
The station is known as a channel that promotes the interests and activities of the government. According to local journalists interviewed for this report in May 2024, criticism of the authorities is not allowed on PSM’s channels. The content analysis conducted for this report in May 2024 also found that news coverage is dominated by content that focuses on presenting the government’s activities without any critical perspective.
To date, no domestic statute and no independent assessment or oversight mechanism to validate the editorial independence of PSM’s channels has been identified.
September 2024