Media assets

Television: RTNC1, RTNC2, RTNC3, RTNC4

Radio: RTNC

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

RTNC is a public establishment under the administrative supervision of the Ministry of Communication and Media. The broadcaster is governed by a Board of Directors, expanded from five to nine members, all appointed by the President of the Republic based on government nominations. This structure underscores the institution’s proximity to political power and the executive branch.

Although in August 2023, Minister of Communication and Media Patrick Muyaya publicly committed to RTNC reform, no concrete measures or legislative proposals have materialized as of mid-2025.

Source of funding and budget

RTNC’s financing model—on paper—includes three revenue streams: license fees (ostensibly levied on all households with access to audiovisual content), advertising and commercial revenue, and state subsidies.

However, experts familiar with DR Congo’s media system point out that, in practice, the broadcaster remains overwhelmingly dependent on government funding. Advertising income is routed directly to government accounts, and there is no transparency regarding the actual size or breakdown of RTNC’s budget.

In a bid to improve the collection of license fees, the Ministry of Communication announced in May 2024 that it had entered discussions with REGIDESO (the national water utility) and SNEL (the electricity company) to integrate license fees into utility bills nationwide. As of June 2025, implementation remains pending.

Editorial independence

RTNC’s editorial output is widely regarded as aligned with the government’s narrative. While there is no formal directive requiring pro-government coverage, local journalists and observers unanimously describe RTNC as a propaganda vehicle for the ruling administration. The station dedicates substantial airtime to portraying government achievements and official ceremonies, with little room for critical or independent reporting.

To date, there are no statutory protections, oversight bodies, or independent mechanisms in place to safeguard editorial independence or evaluate RTNC’s performance through an impartial lens. The broadcaster operates as a de facto communication arm of the state.

July 2025

Media assets

News agency: ACP

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

Established as a public establishment by Decree No. 09/50 of 2009, ACP operates under the administrative supervision of the Ministry of Communication and Media. The agency is governed by a Board of Directors appointed directly by the President of the Republic, underscoring its deep entwinement with the executive branch.

No recent reforms or changes to ACP’s governance structure have been reported as of mid-2025. The agency remains firmly under the purview of state authorities, with no indication of movement toward institutional autonomy or pluralistic oversight.

Source of funding and budget

While official financial disclosures are lacking, statutory provisions stipulate that ACP’s operations are to be predominantly funded by the state. Experts familiar with media financing in the DRC confirmed for this project that ACP relies almost entirely on government subsidies, with no meaningful commercial revenue streams reported. The size of its annual budget remains opaque, and no audited financial reports are publicly available.

In November 2024, during the parliamentary review of the 2025 national budget, ACP’s Chairman Ali Kalonga met with Jacques Djoli, the National Assembly’s Rapporteur, to discuss securing ACP’s funding. According to La Prospérité, Djoli assured that the dedicated budget line for ACP would remain untouched in the upcoming Finance Law.

Editorial independence

Despite no formal directive obliging ACP to promote government positions, the agency is widely regarded by local journalists and media experts as a mouthpiece for state propaganda. An ad hoc content analysis carried out for this review in 2024 and again in 2025 found ACP’s coverage overwhelmingly aligned with the government’s communication agenda, with minimal space for dissenting views or critical reporting.

To date, no legislation or regulatory framework has been identified that would guarantee or assess the editorial independence of ACP. There are no independent oversight mechanisms or transparency measures in place to ensure the integrity of its journalistic output.

July 2025