Grupo Órbita is a media group running the newspaper La Pagina, the radio channel Orbita FM and the television station Orbita TV.
Media assets
Publishing: La Pagina
Radio: Orbita FM
Television: Orbita TV
State Media Matrix Typology
Captured Public or State Managed/Owned Media (CaPu)
Ownership and governance
Grupo Órbita, now under the stewardship of the National Council on Assets Management (CONAB), a governmental body in El Salvador, was previously owned by Jorge Hernández, a prominent journalist. Hernández fell from grace in 2017 after being incarcerated on charges of money laundering, a scandal tracing back to Elías Antonio Saca’s presidency (2004-2009). As a consequence of his legal troubles, Hernández’s assets, including his media conglomerate, were handed over to CONAB for administration.
Source of funding and budget
CONAB refrains from disclosing financial details concerning Grupo Orbita. According to Salvadoran journalists interviewed for this report in November 2024, the organization secures revenue through advertising sales while also benefiting from state subsidies, though the exact balance between these funding streams remains unknown.
Editorial independence
Interviews conducted with journalists from El Salvador for this report in November 2024 unveiled that those employed by the group’s various media outlets are not afforded the freedom to operate autonomously. Instead, they are tasked with toeing the line to provide favorable coverage of political authorities, including state institutions and high-ranking officials.
April 2025