Broadcasting Services Division
The Broadcasting Services Division is a government agency under Samoa’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, entrusted with operating the national radio station Radio National 2AP and the television channel TV9. This division represents the last state run media outlets in Samoa, established following the 2008 privatization of much of the Samoa Broadcasting Corporation (SBC).
Media assets
Radio: Radio National 2AP
Television: TV9
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
The Broadcasting Services Division, a branch of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, is the government body tasked with running Radio National 2AP and TV9. Radio National 2AP originally belonged to the Samoa Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), the country’s former public service broadcaster, which was dismantled and largely privatized in 2008 following World Bank recommendations to curb losses. At the time, the government retained control of the radio station, and a decade later broadened its remit by adding a television service: TV9, officially approved in 2019.
Source of funding and budget
Both Radio 2AP and TV9 are wholly financed through the national budget, specifically via allocations to the Broadcasting Services Division within the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
Editorial independence
Dubbed “the voice of the nation,” Radio 2AP first took to the airwaves in 1947, and over the decades has carved out a place as one of Samoa’s most enduring and widely listened-to radio services. While its heritage is storied, since being placed under direct control of the government, the station has increasingly functioned as a mouthpiece for official communications, especially during emergencies, echoing government messaging rather than offering independent editorial content.
TV9 follows in its footsteps, delivering programming that mirrors the mission of Radio 2AP: to convey government initiatives and broader public-interest content. As of September 2024, TV9 broadcasts a mix of local programming, ABC (Australia) news segments, music videos, and films; notably, it played a pivotal role in televising the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2024 held in Samoa.
The Broadcasting Services Division maintains, on paper, a duty to deliver “professional and ethical news stories and information,” and attaches itself to the 2017 Samoa Media Code of Ethics, formally adopted by media entities across Samoa.
Interviews with journalists in Samoa carried out in May 2025 indicated that the programming of the Broadcasting Services Division media outlets is geared toward amplifying official government messages, particularly during national events and crises. The state broadcasters operate under direct ministerial oversight, with little separation between government communications and editorial policy.
August 2025