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Entity Type: Domestic Public Broadcaster

Sveriges Television

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Sveriges Television, SVT, also known as “Swedish Television,” is Sweden’s national public broadcasting service, operating as a tax-funded, independent public service broadcaster without commercial advertising. Established in 1956, SVT runs multiple channels including SVT1, SVT2, and SVT24, along with digital platforms. The organization maintains editorial independence under Swedish constitutional protections for press freedom and operates according to public service principles. SVT employs correspondents worldwide, including in Beijing, covering international news and affairs. The broadcaster has been a frequent target of Chinese diplomatic criticism for its China coverage. In January 2020, Chinese Ambassador to Sweden Gui Congyou (桂從友) gave a confrontational interview to SVT in which he criticized Swedish media coverage of China.

SBS Australia

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The Special Broadcasting Service (特別廣播服務公司), or SBS, is an Australian hybrid-funded public service broadcaster established in 1978, with approximately 80 percent of funding derived from tax revenue. Originally founded in 1975 as an experimental radio network serving ethnic minority communities following the end of the White Australia Policy, SBS expanded into television in 1980 with its stated purpose “to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect Australia’s multicultural society.” Operating as an independent statutory authority under the Special Broadcasting Service Act 1991, SBS runs six television channels (SBS, SBS Viceland, SBS World Movies, SBS Food, NITV and SBS WorldWatch) and seven radio networks, including multilingual services in over 60 languages, alongside the SBS On Demand streaming platform.

Lusa News Agency

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Headquartered in Lisbon, Lusa News Agency was established on December 12, 1986, and began broadcasting on January 1, 1987. The agency provides news services to numerous newspapers, radio, and television channels across Portugal and Portuguese-speaking communities worldwide, and operates under a contract with the Portuguese government to provide public interest news. Lusa was formed through the merger of the Portuguese News Agency (ANOP) and the Portuguese Press Agency (NP), and is an active member of the European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA)

Radio Televizioni Shqiptar

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Albanian Radio-Television, known as Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH), is the public service broadcaster of Albania, established with the founding of Radio Tirana, which began broadcasting on November 28, 1944. The television division, known as TVSH, commenced operations in April 1960. Today, RTSH operates more than 20 television and radio channels, including Radio Tirana International. While RTSH is formally governed by the Albanian Parliament and funded through license fees, state subsidies, and commercial revenue, its editorial independence has been severely undermined since 2023, according to news reports. The appointment of Alfred Peza, a former Socialist Party MP, as Director General in June 2023 was followed by mass dismissals of journalists, prompting objections from the European Federation of Journalists.

Bulgarian National Radio

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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.

Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation

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The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC) is a public service media company founded in 1953, operating four radio channels and two television stations that cover a range of topics, including politics, economics, finance, and general news. The broadcaster is governed by a nine-member Board of Directors appointed by Cyprus’s Council of Ministers. The government maintains indirect control through its authority to approve the broadcaster’s annual budget and appoint board members, thereby enabling the ruling political party, critics say, to influence the editorial direction. A 2022 report by Cyprus’s auditor-general catalogued widespread irregularities at the public broadcaster — from opaque hiring to inflated payrolls — revealing how the corporation increased costs by 28 percent over three years despite recommendations to cut staff.

Radio Republik Indonesia

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Radio Republik Indonesia (印尼國家廣播電台), or RRI, is Indonesia’s public radio network and one of the country’s two national public broadcasting institutions, alongside state television network TVRI. Founded on September 11, 1945, RRI is the first radio network in Indonesia and one of the oldest media companies in the country. Headquartered on Medan Merdeka Barat Street in Central Jakarta, RRI operates four radio networks and visual radio channels supported by roughly 90 local stations, the largest of any radio network in Indonesia. The network provides nationwide broadcasting services and operates Voice of Indonesia, its overseas broadcasting division that delivers information about Indonesia to international audiences. RRI is funded primarily through annual state budget allocations approved by parliament, advertising revenue, and other services.

Radio Television Senegalaise

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Radio Télévision Sénégalaise (RTS) is Senegal’s principal public media organization, operating five television channels (RTS1-RTS5) and nine radio stations covering national, international, and regional audiences. RTS was established under Law No. 92-02 of 1992, replacing the former state broadcaster ORTS, which had operated since 1973. The broadcaster operates under the Ministry of Culture and Communication, with governance resting with a 12-member Management Council representing various government ministries. The Director General is appointed by the President of Senegal. Pape Alé Niang became Director General on April 24, 2024, replacing Racine Talla. RTS receives funding through license fees collected via electricity bills, state subsidies, and advertising revenues, with an estimated annual budget of XOF 11.3 billion (approximately US$20.8 million). The broadcaster’s editorial stance reflects its close government relationship, with no formal legal framework guaranteeing editorial independence.

Radiotelevisione Italiana

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Radiotelevisione Italiana, or RAI, is Italy’s state-owned public broadcaster founded in 1924 as Unione Radiofonica Italiana (URI) and becoming “RAI” in 1944. The group operates the nation’s largest television and radio network with a more than 30 percent market share, competing directly with the Mediaset empire of former Italian president Silvio Berlusconi. Headquartered at 14 Viale Giuseppe Mazzini in Rome, the company is 99 percent owned by Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance, funding operations through broadcast license fees and advertising revenue. RAI’s programming reaches beyond Italy’s borders into neighboring European countries, Albania, Tunisia and beyond via satellite, while its management and board are elected by Parliament every three years, ensuring close ties between the broadcaster and Italy’s ruling political majority.