Andorra
Europe · Western Europe1 SC
One entry mapped, State-Controlled
60/180
RSF 2026 · 63.91 out of 100
92.5%
Government transfers, share of 2026 planned financing
2012
When the audiovisual council was abolished
The mapped entry
RTVA, Ràdio i Televisió d'Andorra, S.A., wholly state-owned, operating Andorra Televisió, Ràdio Nacional d'Andorra, Andorra Música and rtva.ad. It was created under legislation adopted on 13 April 2000, succeeding the Organisme de Ràdio i Televisió d'Andorra. Imma Jiménez has been Director-General since January 2023
Governance
The government appoints the Director-General directly and, under Article 12 as amended in 2012, exercises the functions of the shareholders' general meeting. The Director-General is the company's sole administrator, responsible for corporate administration and broadcast programming; there is no separate board of directors. The mandate lasts a parliamentary term, and dismissal requires a reasoned government decision on specified statutory grounds
Funding
The approved 2026 budget under Law 1/2026 totals EUR 6,226,461.97: EUR 5,758,461.97 in government current and capital transfers, about 92.5 per cent, with EUR 468,000 forecast from advertising. These are approved budget figures rather than actual receipts
Statutory standards
Article 2 of the broadcasting law requires objectivity, accuracy, impartiality and respect for pluralism. Article 15 permits the government to require transmission of official statements and communications of public interest, with their origin identified
Oversight
Law 20/2012 of 18 October abolished the Consell Andorrà de l'Audiovisual, an advisory and consultative body whose responsibilities included rectification disputes. Parliamentary scrutiny was preserved, and challenges to the Director-General's rectification decisions go to the civil courts, requests having first to be addressed to the Director-General
Accountability that remains
A permanent legislative committee of the Consell General scrutinises compliance with the broadcasting principles, and the Tribunal de Comptes audits RTVA's finances. These provide accountability but perform different functions from an independent audiovisual regulator
Sources: Andorran broadcasting law of 13 April 2000, articles 2, 12 and 15; Law 20/2012 of 18 October; Law 1/2026 of 22 January; RTVA legal notice; Tribunal de Comptes; Reporters Without Borders 2026. Classification per the State Media Matrix. Information checked to 24 September 2026.
Andorra ranked 60th of 180 countries and territories in the 2026 RSF World Press Freedom Index, scoring 63.91 out of 100.
State Media Monitor maps one entry in Andorra, classified State-Controlled (SC).
RTVA, Ràdio i Televisió d’Andorra, S.A., is wholly state-owned. Its services comprise Andorra Televisió, Ràdio Nacional d’Andorra, Andorra Música and rtva.ad. It was created under legislation adopted on 13 April 2000, succeeding the Organisme de Ràdio i Televisió d’Andorra. Imma Jiménez has been Director-General since January 2023.
Government appoints the Director-General directly. Under Article 12 of the broadcasting law, as amended in 2012, the government exercises the functions of the shareholders’ general meeting. The Director-General is the company’s sole administrator, responsible for corporate administration and broadcast programming; there is no separate board of directors. The mandate lasts a parliamentary term, with continuation until confirmation or replacement. Dismissal requires a reasoned government decision on specified statutory grounds.
Funding is overwhelmingly governmental. RTVA’s approved 2026 budget under Law 1/2026 of 22 January totals EUR 6,226,461.97. Government current and capital transfers account for EUR 5,758,461.97, approximately 92.5 per cent of planned financing, with the remaining EUR 468,000 forecast from advertising.
Reported editorial practice supports the classification. SMM has conducted interviews with journalists describing significant government influence over RTVA’s editorial agenda. These are historical findings, rather than interviews conducted for the September 2026 update. RSF’s current country assessment also describes RTVA as operating largely under government influence and identifies close relationships between government and state-owned media as a source of self-censorship.
One entry, and no body between government and broadcaster
Andorra · 2026State-Controlled · 1
How authority runs
Government
Exercises the functions of the shareholders' general meeting
Director-General
Appointed directly; sole administrator for corporate administration and programming
No board
There is no separate board of directors
The mandate lasts a parliamentary term, with continuation until confirmation or replacement, and dismissal requires a reasoned government decision on specified statutory grounds. Article 15 separately permits the government to require transmission of official statements and communications of public interest, with their origin identified.
What was removed
Law 20/2012 of 18 October abolished the Consell Andorrà de l'Audiovisual, an advisory and consultative body whose responsibilities included rectification disputes. Challenges to the Director-General's rectification decisions now go to the civil courts, with requests first addressed to the Director-General.
What remains
Article 2 sets statutory standards of objectivity, accuracy, impartiality and pluralism. A permanent legislative committee of the Consell General scrutinises compliance, and the Tribunal de Comptes audits the finances. These provide accountability, but perform different functions from an independent audiovisual regulator.
The State-Controlled classification rests on reported influence over editorial output alongside direct government appointment and financing. State Media Monitor's published assessment cites interviews with journalists conducted in April 2024 describing significant government influence over RTVA's editorial agenda — historical findings, rather than interviews conducted for the September 2026 update. RSF's current country assessment describes RTVA as operating largely under government influence and identifies close relationships between government and state-owned media as a source of self-censorship. State ownership and public funding alone would not establish editorial control.
Sources: Andorran broadcasting law of 13 April 2000; Law 20/2012 of 18 October; State Media Monitor assessment; Reporters Without Borders country assessment and 2026 Index. SC = State-Controlled, per the State Media Matrix. Information checked to 24 September 2026.
Media profiles
