Grupo Samix manages a network of 12 radio stations across El Salvador, some of which spotlight regional matters, catering to the communities in various towns throughout the nation.
Media assets
Radio: Radio La Chevere 100.9 FM, Radio ABC 100.1 FM, La Urbana 94.9 FM, Full FM 99.7 FM, Super Estrella 94.1 FM, Radio Coco 94.9 FM (Sonsonate), Radio Del Dios Eterno 105.3 FM (Sonsonate), Radio Soda Stereo 105.3 FM (Santa Ana), Radio FX 105.3 FM (Ahuachapán), Radio La Caliente 90.1 FM (San Miguel), Radio Dial 96.5 FM (Usulután), Radio Galaxia 94.9 FM (La Union)
State Media Matrix Typology
Captured Public or State Managed/Owned Media (CaPu)
Ownership and governance
Grupo Samix, currently administered by the National Council on Assets Management (CONAB), a governmental entity, previously belonged to ex-Salvadoran president Elías Antonio Saca. The entity came under state control in 2018 following Saca’s confession to misappropriating public funds for personal gain, channeling them into this enterprise and others, primarily within the communications sector. Saca was eventually sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Source of funding and budget
The operational funding for Grupo Samix has predominantly stemmed from advertising revenue. Nevertheless, local journalists interviewed for this report in November 2024 said that, historically, the group heavily depended on government financing—a reliance that persists to this day.
Notably, under the proprietorship of former Salvadoran president Elias Antonio Saca, the company became embroiled in money laundering activities, which ultimately led to Saca’s incarceration. Investigators uncovered that Saca redirected funds from the Presidential budget to Grupo Samix under the guise of payments for advertising services. Reportedly, some US$ 17m was funneled through these illicit transactions.
Upon taking control of the company in 2018, the National Council on Assets Management (CONAB) claimed strides had been made in curbing the group’s operating deficits. However, CONAB has not disclosed financial information concerning Samix in recent years, leaving uncertainties about the extent to which state financing factors into the organization’s overall revenue stream.
Editorial independence
When CONAB assumed control of the Samix group, state representatives pledged to uphold freedom of expression, but those assurances have fallen short. Journalists working in El Salvador, interviewed for this report in November 2024, revealed that the editorial direction of Samix’s outlets is heavily steered by state influence.
Those who fail to tow the line and adhere to management’s editorial mandates reportedly run the risk of losing their positions. Former employees of Samix’s radio stations have disclosed that within the organization, journalists face significant discouragement from voicing their true opinions or criticizing figures connected to government institutions—a clear signal that independent voices are under duress.
April 2025