Bulgarian National Television (BNT) is Bulgaria’s public broadcaster. It was founded in 1959 as the country’s first available television service. The station operates four channels: BNT 1 (a generalist channel), BNT 2 (focused on culture), BNT 3 (focused on sports), and BNT 4 (broadcasting internationally). BNT also runs four regional studios in Blagoevgrad, Varna, Plovdiv, and Ruse.
Media assets
Television: BNT 1, BNT 2, BNT 3, BNT 4
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
BNT was established as a state corporation by the Radio and Television Act of 1998. The main governing structure at BNT is a management board, with five members, including the General Director, who are appointed by the Council for Electronic Media (CEM), Bulgaria’s media regulatory authority.
However, this appointment procedure prevents BNT from achieving genuine autonomy because the CEM Council’s five members are appointed by the parliament (3) and the Bulgarian President (2).
Source of funding and budget
BNT is funded through a mix of state subsidies and commercial revenue. The broadcaster has been facing financial difficulties for a long time, and government subsidies have played a key role in keeping the station operational.
In 2019, BNT received a state subsidy of BGN 68m (US$41 m), which made up more than 85% of its total budget. According to the budget plan, in 2022, the station received a total of BGN 80.5m (US$44 m) from the government, accounting for nearly the entire broadcaster’s budget. Local legislation requires BNT to be funded through a license fee paid by all households in the country, but these requirements have never been enforced.
In 2023, BNT had a total budget of BGN 98m (US$ 55m), with BGN 86.23m coming from a government transfer, according to a company annual report.
Editorial independence
As a public service broadcaster, BNT is legally obligated to provide a wide range of news content and programming in accordance with its public service mission. However, the station has consistently failed to fulfill this mission, as its editorial direction is tightly controlled by the government.
During Emil Koshlukov’s tenure as the current general director of BNT, the station’s editorial coverage has become overtly propagandistic in support of the government. Koshlukov, a former MP and party leader, previously managed a party-owned television channel known for its chauvinistic programming. He frequently intervenes in the station’s editorial reporting in person.
In Bulgaria, people protested against BNT’s lack of objectivity in covering the protests three years ago and even blocked the station’s entrance.
In 2021, the station faced criticism for its biased election coverage. Shortly after the election, the station received an additional state budget allocation. Many perceived this as compensation by the government for the station’s favorable election coverage.
The Radio and Television Act states that BNT’s staff should have complete editorial control. These provisions are intended to prevent advertisers from influencing the station’s editorial coverage. However, there is no specific domestic law that establishes BNT’s editorial independence.
BNT has an internal body called the Public Council, comprised of eight supposedly independent professionals. Their task is to monitor the station’s programs and provide feedback to the broadcaster’s management to improve the outlet’s performance. However, in practice, this oversight instrument doesn’t work well, especially under the station’s current management, which discourages such feedback. As of the time of research, only one feedback note from the Council dating back to 2018 was available on the Council’s web page.
August 2024