Radio Kara
Radio Kara is a public radio broadcaster based in northern Togo, serving as one of the country’s three principal state-run media outlets alongside Radio Lomé and Télévision Togolaise (TVT). With its founding mandate to promote local culture, government communication, and national cohesion, Radio Kara plays a central role in the state’s regional media strategy.
Media assets
Radio: Radio Kara
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
Radio Kara is entirely state-owned, operating under the direct authority of the Ministry of Communication and Media. As confirmed by local journalists and media experts, its senior management—particularly the Director General—is appointed by the government, without the involvement of independent oversight bodies or public consultation.
In January 2022, the Togolese government passed legislation to consolidate the country’s public audiovisual media—Radio Kara, Radio Lomé, and TVT—under a unified entity, Radio et Télévision du Togo (RTVT). Although the legal foundation has been laid, the integration process remains incomplete as of mid-2025. Radio Kara continues to function under its original administrative and editorial structure, with no confirmed public steps toward full merger implementation.
Source of funding and budget
According to research by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), Radio Kara is entirely financed through public funds, drawing its operating budget from national appropriations managed by the Ministry. However, no detailed or disaggregated budget information for Radio Kara has been made public, either through official government finance laws or sectoral reports.
Editorial independence
While no legal provision explicitly mandates Radio Kara to support government narratives, its editorial posture is widely understood to reflect state positions. This alignment is not imposed by law, but rather maintained through structural dependence: the station’s leadership is appointed by the government, and its finances are tightly controlled through public subsidies.
According to media analysts familiar with the outlet’s operations, Radio Kara’s editorial decisions are generally consistent with official messaging, with little to no space for dissenting perspectives or independent investigation.
Importantly, there are no institutional safeguards in place to guarantee or measure the broadcaster’s editorial autonomy. Radio Kara lacks an editorial charter; an independent board; and any form of external regulatory oversight regarding content neutrality or public service obligations.
June 2025