Radiodiffusion Télévision Ivoirienne (RTI) is the state-owned public broadcaster of Côte d’Ivoire, managing two radio stations and four television channels. Established in 1962, RTI plays a dominant role in the country’s media ecosystem, often serving as the primary source of news and information for much of the Ivorian population.
Media assets
Radio: Radio Cote d’Ivoire, Frequence 2
Television: RTI1, RTI2, La3, RTI Bouake
News portal: RTI Info
State Media Matrix Typology
Captured Public/State-Managed (CaPu)
Ownership and governance
RTI operates as a state-owned enterprise under the supervisory authority of the Ministry of Communication. The broadcaster’s governance structure is steered by a Board of Directors, composed of 11 members, 10 of whom are appointed directly by the President of the Republic. These appointments preponderantly represent various state ministries, consolidating significant political influence over RTI’s strategic direction. This top-down control has raised persistent concerns about the broadcaster’s lack of institutional autonomy.
Jean Martial Adou was officially confirmed as Director General of RTI on 27 December 2024, following his interim role since July 2024, when Fausséni Dembélé was dismissed by presidential decree. Adou had previously served as chief of staff to the Minister of Communications and pledged upon his appointment to inject new dynamism into RTI .
Fausséni Dembélé, who helmed RTI from 2019 until late 2024, was reassigned in January 2025 as the head of the Ivorian Press Agency—marking a swift pivot within the state media ecosystem.
Source of funding and budget
RTI’s financial model rests on a blend of public and private revenue streams. These include:
- State subsidies
- Commercial advertising income
- License fees (collected via a surcharge on electricity bills)
- Revenue from commercial partnerships and sponsored content
According to the most recent public statements—dating back to 2021—the broadcaster’s annual budget was approximately XOF 22 billion (around US$ 38 million). Nearly 49% of this budget reportedly came from license fee contributions, with the remainder sourced from commercial operations and modest government subsidies.
As of mid-2025, RTI has not released detailed or audited financial statements for several years, raising transparency concerns among media watchdogs and civil society organizations.
A parliamentary motion was tabled in May 2025 to reassess the license fee mechanism following public discontent over rising utility costs. However, the proposal has not progressed beyond committee level.
Editorial independence
While the 2004 Law No. 108 stipulates that RTI must uphold editorial independence and pluralism, this legal guarantee remains largely symbolic. There is no independent media regulator actively monitoring RTI’s compliance, and the political grip over the broadcaster’s governance has translated into de facto editorial control.
Local journalists and independent observers describe RTI as a mouthpiece for government policy, with coverage skewed heavily in favor of the ruling administration. Investigative or critical journalism is nearly absent from its programming, and opposition voices rarely receive balanced airtime.
Despite periodic promises of reform, no credible oversight body or transparent assessment mechanism has been established to enforce editorial independence at RTI.
June 2025