Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) is Bulgaria’s national radio broadcaster, founded on March 30, 1930 by a group of engineers and intellectuals, before being nationalized on January 25, 1935. The broadcaster operates two nationwide channels — Horizont, which offers news and music, and Hristo Botev, focused on culture and the arts—alongside nine regional channels and Radio Bulgaria.  BNR is governed by a five-member Management Board appointed by the Council for Electronic Media (CEM), Bulgaria’s media regulatory authority, whose composition is politically influenced with members appointed by Parliament and the President. According to State Media Monitor, BNR faces chronic underfunding and political pressure that limit its independence, with incidents including the dismissal of journalists and broadcasting suspensions.