Radiotelevision de la Region de Murcia (RTRM)

Radiotelevisión de la Región de Murcia (RTRM) is the public broadcaster in the Region of Murcia. It operates the Onda Regional de Murcia radio service and the 7TV Región de Murcia television channel.

Media assets

Television: La 7 RM (HD)

Radio: Onda Regional de Murcia, ORM Música

State Media Matrix Typology

Independent State-Funded and State-Managed (ISFM)

Ownership and governance

RTRM was established under Law No. 9 of 2004 and amended in 2012 and 2015. It remains a state-owned corporation. Its television service has been operated since 2015 by the privately owned Central Broadcaster Media, which won a public tender to manage 7TV Región de Murcia.

The Asamblea Regional de Murcia (Regional Parliament) appoints the Director General, who is subsequently officially named by the regional government, with the mandate aligned with the legislative term. Leadership appointments often mirror regional political dynamics, with the governing party exerting considerable influence.

As of 2024, the Director General is Juan Antonio de Heras y Tudela, appointed by the Asamblea Regional on March 13, 2024, and formally confirmed by the Consejo de Gobierno (Regional Government Council). He succeeded Mariano Caballero, who held the position from October 2019 until March 21, 2024.

Source of funding and budget

RTRM is primarily funded by transfers from the regional government. In 2020, the government allocated €20.5 million for its operations, of which €5 million supported the radio service and €15.5 million was directed to Central Broadcaster Media under the outsourcing arrangement. According to an annual report, in 2023, the regional government allocated €5.7m to RTRM, mainly to run the broadcaster’s radio business. It does not include the amounts transferred to the private operator (CBM / Grupo Secuoya) that runs 7TV Región de Murcia under contract. 

Editorial independence

There is no consistent evidence of systematic editorial control exerted by the regional government over RTRM’s output. Nevertheless, periodic controversies have emerged, particularly concerning the television channel’s coverage of political affairs, with opposition parties and journalist unions voicing concerns about a lack of pluralism in news reporting.

RTRM’s editorial independence is formally guaranteed through the Program Agreement signed between the Murcia government and the broadcaster, with the most recent agreement concluded in January 2020.

However, there is no independent supervisory or auditing body empowered to assess or enforce editorial safeguards. This absence of oversight has fuelled debates about whether the outsourcing model dilutes accountability and increases the risk of indirect political influence.

August 2025