Media assets

National: TV1, Canal Algerie2, TV3, TV4, TV5, TV6, TV7, TV8; TV9

Regional: TV1 Alger, TV1 Oran, TV1 Constantine, TV1 Ouargla, TV1 Bechar

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

Established by ministerial decree in 1991, succeeding ENTV and originally RTA (1962), EPTV functions as a “public establishment with industrial and commercial character.”

The highest governing structure at EPTV is its Administration Council, comprised of ten members—including the Director General—five appointed by government ministries and others by state firms (like APS) or media guilds. The council is chaired by the DG, who is installed via a decree from the Ministry of Communication.

In May 2025, Fethi Saïdi was appointed acting DG of EPTV, taking over from Salim Rebahi. This continues a pattern of frequent leadership turnover; the DG role remains highly unstable and politically sensitive.

Source of funding and budget

EPTV’s finances are propped up chiefly by state subsidies, accounting for over 70% of the budget; license fees collected via electricity bills; and advertising revenue. In 2021, the government allocated DZD 6.1 billion (~US $45 million), with a similar commitment in 2022 plus an extra DZD 550 million injection. The broadcaster has not disclosed updated financial reports since.

Editorial independence

Despite the façade of charter-based autonomy, censorship remains pervasive. Journalists interviewed for this report in May 2024, November 2024 and May 2025 acknowledge editorial interference from the Ministry of Communication.

The Boukabes/Lounakel episode speaks volumes: airing Moroccan sports success—a gesture seen as innocuous by many—reportedly cost Lounakel his job. This is evidence that any coverage deviating from state orthodoxy can result in executive repercussions.

No legal safeguards or independent oversight mechanisms exist to shield EPTV journalists from political intervention—editorial control remains firmly with the Ministry of Communication.

July 2025

Media assets

National: Chaine 1, Chaine 2, Chaine 3, Radio Coran, Radio Culture, Jil FM

International: Radio International

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

Structure: Governed by a 13-member Administration Council—four appointed by ministries, three from its main radio channels, representatives from APS (state news agency), journalists, and other stakeholders. The Council Chair is the Director General, appointed via presidential decree; the EPRS answers to the Ministry of Communication

Leadership update: In September 2024, Adel Salakdji assumed the role of Director General, succeeding Mohamed Baghali (who took over in January 2021). This change continues the broadcaster’s pattern of politically sensitive leadership shifts.

Source of funding and budget

Radio Algérienne (EPRS) continues to operate largely on the back of substantial state support. Public funding remains the cornerstone of its financial structure, with over 85% of its annual budget drawn directly from the national treasury. Advertising revenue provides a secondary income stream, but it is modest in scale and tightly regulated.

In 2021, the broadcaster received DZD 5 billion—approximately US$ 37.4 million—in direct subsidies from the Ministry of Communication. This level of support was reaffirmed in 2022, when the Algerian government unveiled a sweeping €120 million strategic communications program aimed at bolstering pro-government messaging across the media sector. Of that package, around €32 million was earmarked for Radio Algérienne, reinforcing its role as a primary vehicle for state discourse.

As of 2024–2025, although no updated financial reports have been published by EPRS itself, it is widely understood—based on Algeria’s ballooning national budget—that public broadcasters like EPRS remain generously funded.

Editorial independence

Despite its formal designation as a public broadcaster, Radio Algérienne (EPRS) operates squarely within the grip of state power. The Ministry of Communication exerts pervasive influence over editorial content, leaving little room for independent journalism or dissenting perspectives. While the broadcaster’s founding decree outlines general principles for programming, it includes no legal guarantees of editorial autonomy—nor has any independent oversight body been established to safeguard journalistic integrity.

Interviews with local journalists and media observers carried out for this report paint a consistent picture: censorship is routine, and editorial lines are dictated by government priorities. Program schedules, coverage angles, and even the tone of broadcasts are often shaped in consultation with ministry officials. In such an environment, self-censorship becomes second nature—journalists, aware of the professional risks, often choose silence or resignation over confrontation.

Over the past year, Algeria’s broader media landscape has seen renewed tightening of state control, and Radio Algérienne is no exception. The appointment of directors general continues to be a politically sensitive affair, with rapid turnover and little transparency. In this context, EPRS does not act as a platform for public debate, but rather as a loudspeaker for the state, amplifying official narratives while sidelining uncomfortable truths. Journalists who attempt to push editorial boundaries often find themselves marginalized or forced out altogether. As of mid-2025, no legal reforms or regulatory frameworks have been introduced to loosen this grip.

July 2025

Media assets

News agency: APS

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

Since 1991, by decree No. 91‑104, APS has operated as a public establishment with industrial and commercial status, overseen by the Ministry of Communication.

APS is governed by a 10-member Administration Council, including the Director General, journalists, representatives from the APS state news agency itself, and four members appointed by ministries. The Director General, who also chairs the Council, is selected by presidential decree and reports to the Ministry. As of mid‑2025, Samir Gaid holds the Director General’s post, reflecting a long-standing pattern of politically appointed leadership.

Source of funding and budget

APS sustains its operations through a blend of state subsidies and revenue from its commercial activities—such as content sales and subscriptions—though public funding remains dominant. Experts estimate that more than 70% of its budget is state-funded.

In 2021, APS received DZD 544 million (approximately US $4 million). In 2022, that amount stayed steady at over DZD 550 million, according to local experts interviewed for this report in August 2024. Financial disclosures are scant from 2023 onward.

Editorial independence

Serving as the state’s mouthpiece, APS routinely circulates official announcements, government policy, and diplomatic engagements, though rarely engages in investigative or critical journalism. Coverage of neighbouring Morocco is notably aggressive—largely reflecting state policy rather than independent fact-finding.

Despite legally being a public establishment, APS lacks statutory safeguards of press freedom, and no independent oversight exists to shield its editorial output from political influence.

In 2023, journalistic sources—such as Jeune Afrique—reported that APS is now closely embedded with the President’s communication apparatus, to the point that “nothing can be published without presidential approval.”

July 2025

Media assets

Publishing: El Moudjahid, Ech Chaab, El Djoumhouria, Horizons

State Media Matrix Typology

Captured Public/State-Managed Media (CaPu)

Ownership and governance

These outlets are published by state-owned press houses, each under the purview of the Ministry of Communication. They function as official platforms for government messaging, firmly embedded within Algeria’s public sector-controlled media environment.

Source of funding and budget

Algeria’s public newspapers operate on a hybrid funding model: while they generate revenue through advertising, they also rely on substantial state subsidies. Though financial figures are closely held, local media analysts note that these papers received approximately DZD 32 million in direct government allocations in 2022. Their annual budget relies heavily on this combination of commercial income and predictable state support.

Editorial independence

Despite the absence of formal editorial mandates, these papers maintain a firmly pro-government stance. They serve as clear conduits for official viewpoints and policies.

A content review conducted by the Media and Journalism Research Center (MJRC) between January and mid-February 2024 found overwhelmingly favorable coverage of state priorities, with little space for critique or independent perspectives.

No legal safeguards exist to protect editorial autonomy in Algeria’s state-run print media. Journalists within these outlets often navigate their roles under unspoken political lines, with self-censorship prevalent and public accountability mechanisms largely absent.

July 2025