SINART, the official operator of Costa Rica’s public media system, embarked on a rebranding journey in 2017. As part of this evolution, Channel 13 was revamped and rechristened as 13 Costa Rica TV, while its radio station shed the “National” label to emerge as Costa Rica Radio 101.5 FM. Notably, SINART no longer engages in any form of print publications. Its television programming offers a diverse array of content, including news, educational broadcasts, music, cultural showcases, and entertainment. Furthermore, SINART holds an agreement with the Costa Rican Congress to provide live radio coverage of all parliamentary sessions, bringing legislative discourse directly to the public’s ears.
Media assets
Television: Canal 13
Radio: Radio Nacional
State Media Matrix Typology
Captured Public/State-Managed (CaPu)
Ownership and governance
Article 7 of Law No. 8346, commonly referred to as the law governing SINART, establishes that the entity is overseen by an Executive Board composed of diverse representatives. Its leadership includes a president—designated by the government—as well as a delegate from Costa Rica’s colleges affiliated with the social sciences field, nominated by the colleges yet still appointed by the government.
Additional members include representatives from the College of Rectors, the National Council of Rectors, the Ministry of Culture and Youth (appointed by the serving Minister or Acting Minister), the Ministry of Public Education (also chosen by the respective Minister or Acting Minister), and a unified emissary representing the Ministries of Science, Technology, and Environment. Further, the composition features a delegate from the private universities’ rectors and a prosecutor selected by the Attorney General’s Office. The board holds the authority to nominate or dismiss the director of the organization.
In March 2023, the government appointed Fernando Sandí as the new president of SINART.
Source of funding and budget
SINART’s management disclosed that 30% of the company’s financial resources derive from the public budget overseen by the Ministry of Culture, while the remaining 70% is amassed through commercial activities, primarily advertising sales. This includes the company offering advertising opportunities to governmental agencies and public institutions.
In 2022, SINART operated with a total budget amounting to CRC 7.7bn (US$ 11.5m), the majority—CRC 5.1bn—accounted for by self-generated income, the rest supplemented by state funding, according to its financial records.
By 2023, financial reports revealed SINART’s budget had been reduced to CRC 5.8bn (US$ 10.5m), with approximately CRC 1.2bn originating from state subsidies. As of 2024, operational resources further dwindled, with the company operating on a trimmed budget of CRC 5.35bn (US$ 9.9m), per company statements.
In recent years, SINART’s spending habits have faced increasing scrutiny, with national media publishing critical investigative pieces questioning its budgetary governance.
June 2024 witnessed the release of a Costa Rican Parliamentary report alleging that the government manipulated the allocation of funding for official advertising by directing a disproportionate share of the budget toward SINART, raising concerns of politicization within the funding mechanisms for state ad placements.
The government put forward a proposal to slash SINART’s budget by 38% for the year 2025, bringing it down to CRC 3.29bn (approximately US$ 6.5m).
Editorial independence
An informal content analysis undertaken in 2020 for this project, centered around recent newscasts, unveiled a distinct pattern in SINART’s programming. Friendly interviews with government representatives appear to be the norm on SINART’s channels, although opposition political voices are given room as well. Moreover, news coverage that does not necessarily cast the government in a positive light is broadcast, albeit presented in a neutral and descriptive tone. Importantly, there was no evidence uncovered to suggest direct editorial interference by the government at that time.
Nonetheless, allegations of censorship have gained traction in recent years. Journalists interviewed in April 2023 and subsequently in May 2024 reported instances of deliberate suppression of specific subjects by SINART’s management. Several analysts and politicians have gone further, claiming that SINART’s platforms are being used to amplify propaganda favoring President Rodrigo Chaves and his inner circle.
The Law governing SINART inherently incorporates various safeguards intended to uphold the broadcaster’s autonomy. Article 4 enshrines principles requiring SINART to remain impartial and truthful, uphold respect for political, cultural, social, and religious plurality, and foster free discourse on timely and substantive matters. A Style Manual contains ethical obligations governing news coverage practices, while a set of Autonomous Regulations, enacted by the company’s Executive Board in October 2020, delineates internal processes and governance mechanisms across the organization’s operations.
Despite these provisions, there appears to be a glaring absence of any independent oversight or formal assessment body to verify the editorial independence of SINART’s channels.
April 2025