Sistema Nacional de Televisión (SNTV) is a state-controlled media conglomerate in Nicaragua, operated either directly by the government or through proxies linked to the ruling Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) and the family of President Daniel Ortega. The group controls several key national television and radio outlets, most of which were originally private but have since been absorbed into the government-aligned media ecosystem.
Sistema Nacional de Televisión owns the following channels in Nicaragua:
- Canal 6 Nicaragüense
Established in 1957 under the Somoza regime, Canal 6 was nationalized in 1979 after the Sandinista revolution and later declared bankrupt in 1997. It was reactivated in 2011 by the Ortega government and now serves as the flagship state broadcaster, fully funded and operated by the presidency through the state-owned company NEPISA.
- Canal 8 (Televisora Nicaragüense-TN8 or TeleNica)
Formerly a privately run channel founded by businessman Carlos Briceño, TN8 was sold in 2010 to a group of investors tied to the Ortega family, reportedly financed by Venezuela’s ALBA cooperation fund. Since the takeover, the channel’s editorial stance has shifted to overtly support the Ortega administration. It is currently directed by Juan Carlos Ortega, son of the president.
- Canal 4 (Multinoticias)
Previously owned by Nueva Imagen, S.A., Canal 4 was acquired by Intrasa, a company linked to the FSLN. Since 2017, it has been formally owned by FSLN-affiliated entrepreneur David Pereira. The channel is managed by presidential sons Daniel Edmundo and Carlos Enrique Ortega.
- Viva Nicaragua-Canal 13
A generalist television station headquartered in Managua, Viva Nicaragua was absorbed by SNTV after a contentious dispute over its ownership. It is now controlled by other children of the president—Camilia, Luciana, and Maurice Ortega.
- Canal 15 Nicaragüense
Launched in 2011 as an educational and cultural broadcaster, Canal 15 was repurposed in 2018 to operate on the frequency previously used by 100% Noticias, a prominent independent outlet forcibly shut down by the government.
- La Rock 22
A state-aligned radio station launched in 2020 and managed by Juan Carlos Ortega. It features a mix of music and government-aligned content aimed at younger audiences.
Media assets
Television: Canal 6, Canal 8, Canal 4 Multinoticias, Viva Nicaragua, Canal 15 Nicaraguense
Radio: La Rock 22
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
SNTV’s media assets are either state-owned or privately held by individuals and entities with direct ties to the Ortega-Murillo family and the FSLN. Editorial control is centralized within the presidency. The governing structures of these outlets are staffed by Ortega family members or close allies, blurring the line between state and party media. Canal 6 remains formally state-owned and is directly operated by the executive branch, while the rest are nominally private but in practice function as government mouthpieces.
Except for Canal 6, which remains formally state-owned and operated directly by the Nicaraguan government through NEPISA, all other channels under Sistema Nacional de Televisión were originally private broadcasters. These outlets were gradually acquired over the past decade and a half by individuals or corporate entities closely linked to the presidency, particularly through opaque networks tied to the FSLN’s economic apparatus.
Canal 4 was formally acquired in 2017 by David Pereira, an entrepreneur known for his political alignment with the FSLN. However, internal management and editorial operations are overseen by Daniel Edmundo and Carlos Enrique Ortega, two sons of President Daniel Ortega, effectively placing the channel under direct familial control.
Canal 8 has been under the direction of Juan Carlos Ortega, another son of the president, since its acquisition in 2010by a group of investors linked to the Ortega family. The purchase was reportedly financed by funds from ALBA, the Venezuela-led regional cooperation agreement, and has since functioned as one of the administration’s key propaganda platforms. As of 2024, Juan Carlos continues to serve as the channel’s director and oversees its associated media ventures, including La Rock 22.
Viva Nicaragua – Canal 13, originally a private generalist channel, was taken over by the government after a protracted dispute over its ownership structure. By 2022, its operations were fully integrated into the SNTV network and are now overseen by Ortega’s daughters Camilia, Luciana, and Maurice, solidifying its role in the government’s media infrastructure.
Canal 15 Nicaragüense, launched in 2018, was established on the frequency previously used by 100% Noticias, an independent broadcaster that was forcibly shut down by authorities. This takeover followed a wave of media suppression that began in late 2018, as the government intensified its crackdown on critical journalism in the wake of mass protests.
These takeovers were frequently carried out without transparency, often via proxies or shell companies with close FSLN ties, reinforcing Nicaragua’s status as one of the most tightly controlled media environments in Latin America.
Source of funding and budget
SNTV’s outlets receive over 50% of their financing from the state budget, with Canal 6 depending almost entirely on public funds. Channels such as Canal 8 are also heavily subsidized through state advertising contracts, often exceeding half of their annual revenue, according to interviews with Nicaraguan media experts conducted in May 2024.
Due to the lack of transparency and the centralized control of media outlets by the government and the ruling party, obtaining precise budgetary figures for SNTV remains challenging. The absence of publicly accessible, detailed financial reports for SNTV underscores the broader issues of limited transparency and accountability within Nicaragua’s state-controlled media landscape.
Editorial independence
Led and managed by individuals closely tied to the Ortega-Murillo family, the television channels under Sistema Nacional de Televisión (SNTV) strictly adhere to an editorial line that amplifies government narratives and promotes the interests of the ruling FSLN party. Independent journalism has been systematically eliminated from these platforms. Most programs that previously offered critical or investigative content were either canceled or replaced following government takeovers, and nearly all independent journalists formerly associated with these outlets have resigned or been pushed out.
One notable case is that of Carlos F. Chamorro, a respected journalist who hosted the investigative news program Esta Semana on Canal 8. He resigned in 2010 immediately after the channel’s acquisition by a group tied to the Ortega family, denouncing the new ownership for turning the outlet into a propaganda tool. His departure marked the beginning of a broader purge of dissenting voices within Nicaragua’s media landscape.
As of 2025, no domestic legislation or independent regulatory body exists to guarantee or assess the editorial independence of SNTV-affiliated channels. The absence of oversight, combined with direct familial and political control, reinforces the view that SNTV functions not as a public service broadcaster but as a centralized instrument of state propaganda.
May 2025