The history of Argentine television began in 1951 with the launch of the state-owned Canal 7, which is now known as Televisión Pública. Today, RTA is the network with the broadest coverage, operating Televisión Pública (Canal 7), Canal 12 television, and Radio Nacional.
Media assets
Television: Televisión Pública (Canal 7), Canal 12
Radio: Radio Nacional, Radiodifusión Argentina al Exterior (RAE)
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
RTA was created through Law 26.522 as a state company subordinated to the Government.
The highest governing body in RTA is the board of directors, which is composed of seven members appointed as follows: the chair is directly appointed by the Argentinian government, one member is directly appointed by the government, three members are appointed by MPs, and two members are proposed by the Federal Council for Audiovisual Communication, Argentina’s broadcasting regulator. One of the two members proposed by the Federal Council must be an academic. The director of RTA is also appointed by the government through a decree.
In June 2021, an actor, Osvaldo Santoro was appointed the head of the RTA. The timing of the appointment of the RTA board of directors is deliberately scheduled to avoid synchronizing with the election of the new government. This is believed to prevent and discourage political interference in the appointment process.
In 2023, the newly appointed President, Javier Milei, began restructuring RTA to prepare the broadcaster for privatization. In February 2024, the government announced the one-year takeover of state-owned public media companies Educ.Ar, Télam, Radio y Televisión Argentina (RTA), and Contenidos Públicos. However, after lengthy political infighting and criticism from media experts and international organizations, the government announced in June 2024 that it removed the RTA from the list of state-owned companies that the government wants to privatize. According to Milei and his experts, the privatization process is expected to lead to more efficiency in running state-controlled companies in Argentina.
Source of funding and budget
In 2023, RTA had a budget of ARS 25.7 billion, mostly funded by the state. The budget remained similar to previous years, although, in local currency, it was significantly larger due to galloping inflation and exchange rates. Therefore, the 2023 budget, at around US$ 74 million, was more or less the same as the previous year. RTA in 2023 recorded a deficit worth ARS 32.86bn, making it the Argentinian public company with the eighth highest deficit. By mid-2024, Milei allocated roughly ARS 17.29bn to the RTA, a much lower budget than in previous years.
RTA also earns income from a levy on commercial media companies, advertising, sponsorship, and donations. As per Law 26.522 of 2009, RTA receives around 20% of the revenues collected through a levy imposed on commercial media each year.
Editorial independence
Despite the high quality of RTA’s programming, the station’s editorial agenda typically favors the government. This is due to the appointment procedures for RTA’s leadership, as the most crucial positions are entirely dependent on the government.
The RTA’s editorial content is decidedly biased towards the left. However, they also aim to educate the audience about political processes at local and regional levels. RTA’s TV Publica airs several programs that provide minimal information and a large amount of propaganda. Although the National Radio produces high-quality content, there is a consistent trend of praising the president, with interviews conducted in his favor.
Over the past two years, the government’s influence on RTA’s editorial agenda has grown stronger. This has led to more independent journalists and observers in Argentina describing RTA as a state media outlet rather than a public broadcaster. RTA’s news bulletins frequently mirror the language used in government announcements and public speeches, making it appear more like a government news channel than a public media broadcaster.
Moreover, since Javier Milei was appointed president in 2023, the attacks on the RTA’s editorial independence have intensified. In May 2024, he blocked all social media accounts of the public media in an unprecedented move, a measure harshly criticized by independent journalists.
Law 26.522 requires RTA to ensure pluralism in its content. According to Article 121 of the law, RTA is required to “promote and develop respect for human rights,” “promote political pluralism,” “guarantee the right to information,” and “contribute to education.” RTA adopted its first Ethical Code in 2021.
The Law 26.522 established the Honorary Advisory Council for Public Media. This council is responsible for ensuring the editorial independence of the public media station. The council is comprised of 17 members who are appointed by the government, based on nominations from various bodies and institutions. These include two members proposed by communication or journalism universities, three proposed by the RTA trade unions, two by human rights NGOs, six by local governments, one by the Federal Council of Education, two by the Advisory Council on Audiovisual Communication and Children (representing producers of educational, children’s and documentary content), and one by indigenous peoples.
The council regularly invites the public to debate various issues related to the RTA’s programs and presents its reports, along with recommendations, to the authorities.
July 2024