Media assets

Television: TVCA

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

TVCA is a state-run entity operating directly under the Ministry of Communication and Media. It does not benefit from the oversight of a board of directors, nor is its status regulated by a dedicated media law. Instead, it functions as a directorate within the ministry, with its senior leadership appointed through opaque procedures heavily influenced by the presidency. According to journalists familiar with the broadcaster, the president’s office has historically exerted significant sway over editorial and managerial appointments—a practice last documented in 2020.

Source of funding and budget

The broadcaster is wholly financed by the state, but budgetary details remain undisclosed to the public. Government funding covers operational costs, though no detailed allocation figures have been made available since 2020. In a symbolic gesture to revitalize the institution, President Faustin-Archange Touadéra ordered a refurbishment of the broadcaster’s headquarters in 2020—its first major upgrade in over four decades. This led to a formal relaunch of the station in March 2020, though its structural limitations persist.

Editorial independence

TVCA operates more as a government mouthpiece than as an independent public broadcaster. Editorial content is overwhelmingly focused on covering the activities and pronouncements of government officials, with little space for critical or pluralistic perspectives.

The station’s editorial autonomy is effectively curtailed by its management structure and political oversight. While the General Directorate claims its mission is to inform, educate, and entertain the public with trustworthy programming, no legal safeguards or external evaluation mechanisms exist to guarantee or verify its independence.

July 2025

Media assets

Radio: Radio Centrafrique

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

Radio Centrafrique functions as a direct extension of the Ministry of Communication and Media, with no legal or structural safeguards for editorial or managerial independence. The station lacks a governing board, financial autonomy, or decision-making latitude. All key operational choices—from equipment procurement to staffing—must be approved by the ministry.

The general manager (Directeur général), appointed under the influence of the presidency, leads the station but has limited authority. The broadcaster does not have its own financial department, and decisions on budgeting and human resources remain fully centralized under ministerial control.

Source of funding and budget

Radio Centrafrique’s budget is embedded within the Ministry of Communication and Media’s broader state allocation. The station does not retain any revenue it generates; instead, advertising income and broadcast fees are collected directly by the National Treasury, which maintains a dedicated unit within the ministry’s headquarters for this purpose.

Although an Internews assessment from 2014 described this opaque arrangement, local journalists confirmed in 2020 that the setup remains unchanged. The state has also footed the bill for the station’s transition from analogue to digital broadcasting, though further details remain scarce.

Editorial independence

While overt political interference reportedly diminished after 2013, Radio Centrafrique remains firmly under state control. The station’s editorial direction is tightly aligned with the priorities of the government and the ministry that houses it. A lack of investigative culture and journalistic rigor further hampers independent reporting. News output is dominated by coverage of official press conferences and events organized by government ministries, ruling party figures, and international bodies. Dissenting voices and critical perspectives are systematically excluded—not through overt censorship, but through editorial neglect and structural bias.

The broadcaster does not operate under a statute that enshrines its independence, nor does it undergo external evaluation or audits of its editorial practices. Its placement within the Ministry of Communication inherently constrains its programming diversity, limits innovation, and stifles the professional development of its staff.

July 2025

Media assets

News agency: ACAP

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

ACAP functions as a directorate within the Ministry of Communication and Media, and its governance reflects this subordinate status. Recruitment is not governed by an independent or competitive process; instead, hiring decisions are made at the discretion of ministry officials. The agency has no governing board or statutory guarantees of editorial autonomy, and its operations remain firmly tethered to the ministerial hierarchy.

Source of funding and budget

There is no publicly disclosed budget for ACAP. All financial support comes directly through the Ministry of Communication and Media’s central allocation. Since its 2012 reorganization, ACAP has lacked institutional independence or a distinct budget line, operating instead as a dependent unit within the ministry. There is no known revenue-generating activity or independent financial management structure within the agency.

Editorial independence

Although ACAP is nominally a press agency, it operates primarily as a digital platform that curates and republishes official narratives. Its output overwhelmingly consists of content that promotes and echoes government activities and messaging. The site serves less as a news wire and more as a communication channel for state institutions.

There is no legal framework defining or protecting ACAP’s editorial independence, nor has any independent evaluation mechanism been identified to assess the integrity or impartiality of its reporting. In practice, ACAP functions more as an arm of government public relations than as an autonomous journalistic entity.

In February 2025, ACAP signed its first-ever cooperation agreement with Russia’s Sputnik news agency, facilitated by the Russian embassy in Bangui. The deal pledges content exchange and joint projects, aimed at expanding ACAP’s reach and enhancing its news coverage—especially regarding Russian affairs.

June 2025