Media assets
Radio: National- Republic of Yemen Radio; Local- Al Hudaydah Radio, Ta’izz Radio, Mukalla Radio, Hajjah Radio, Shabwah Radio, Al Mahrah Radio, Sa’dah Radio, Abyan Radio, Say’un Radio, Lahij Radio, Shabab Radio
State Media Matrix Typology
The protracted Yemeni Civil War, which erupted in 2014, continues to cast a long shadow over the country’s media landscape. The conflict, primarily between the internationally recognized government—formerly led by President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and now represented by the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC)—and the Houthi movement (Ansar Allah), has fractured the nation’s institutions, including its once-unified state media. In the absence of a stable central authority, Yemen’s media sector has descended into a battleground of competing narratives, propaganda warfare, and extreme censorship.
During the presidency of Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen’s media operated within a tightly controlled environment, with clearly demarcated red lines. While freedom was limited, journalists often knew the parameters within which they could function. That clarity has since dissolved. The collapse of central authority and the fragmentation of territorial control have ushered in an era of media chaos, where new red lines are not only broader but constantly shifting, depending on the faction in power.
The period of 2014–2015 marked a turning point. As the Houthis overran the capital, Sana’a, and consolidated control over large swathes of territory, media outlets sympathetic to the Hadi administration became prime targets. Numerous stations were shut down, looted, or repurposed to serve the Houthi cause. Journalists faced intimidation, abduction, or worse—many disappeared altogether. What remained of the profession became a shell of its former self, reduced to operating within the confines of factional allegiance or exile.
In March 2025, the U.S. classified the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, significantly intensifying sanctions and complicating humanitarian logistics despite a partial waiver for aid.
In such a perilous environment, neutrality has become a near-impossible stance. Journalists are often forced to align themselves with the authority—whether militia or government—that controls their region. Many have abandoned the profession altogether or fled the country, contributing to an unprecedented media brain drain.
Fragmentation of “State” Media
In a country that effectively functions as a failed state, determining what qualifies as “state media” is a fraught exercise. Today, Yemen is governed by parallel administrations:
- On one side, the Supreme Political Council led by the Houthis from Sana’a, which exercises de facto control over much of northern Yemen but lacks international recognition.
- On the other, the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), formed by decree in Riyadh on 7 April 2022 with Saudi support and international recognition, which governs southern territories and serves as the successor to the Hadi government. A significant reshuffle occurred in May 2025 when Prime Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak resigned amid political gridlock, and Salem Saleh bin Braik—former finance minister—was installed by the PLC.
This dual-governance structure has created parallel institutions across the board—including the media sector. Outlets under the Houthis and the PLC not only operate with opposing editorial lines but often mirror each other in branding and structure, further confusing the public and obscuring accountability.
Yemen’s media is now entirely beholden to political patrons. Outlets survive only through funding and protection provided by one of the competing governments or allied militias. In this environment, labeling any outlet as “state media” is problematic: both the SPC and PLC run institutions that function as state broadcasters—but there is no single, uncontested state to speak of.
The Yemen General Corporation for Radio and Television exemplifies this dilemma. Originally established as a national institution, it is today fully under the control of the Houthi Supreme Political Council. The corporation oversees national radio broadcasting and a network of local radio stations, all of which are editorially aligned with the Houthi administration and serve its propaganda objectives.
July 2025