Media assets

Television: TVM

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

TVM was established under Decree 19/1994 as a public media enterprise. Its governance structure is anchored in a Council of Administration composed of six members, including a chairperson who wields considerable decision-making power. The chair and other council members are appointed by the Council of Ministers, reinforcing the broadcaster’s institutional alignment with the executive branch.

Oversight of TVM falls under the remit of GABINFO (Gabinete de Informação), the Government Information Office, which is part of the Prime Minister’s Office. GABINFO not only supervises TVM’s strategic direction but also oversees media licensing across the country, thus concentrating regulatory and supervisory powers under a politically connected authority.

Source of funding and budget

TVM’s financial model is heavily dependent on state support. Over the past decade, the proportion of government subsidies in its total operating budget has risen steadily—from around 60% in the early 2010s to over 75% by 2025. The remaining share is derived from advertising sales and limited commercial activities.

In 2022, TVM reported a total budget of MZN 677 million (approx. US$ 10.5 million), with 66% funded by the state, according to data from IGEPE (Instituto de Gestão das Participações do Estado), the public body responsible for managing state-owned enterprises. The station ran a deficit of MZN 139 million that year, a marked improvement from the MZN 470 million shortfall recorded in 2021. In comparison, the total budget for 2021 was MZN 789 million (US$ 12.2 million), of which MZN 592 million came from the state.

More recent budgetary data for 2023–2024 have not been published at the time of writing, but local media reports suggest that TVM’s reliance on public funding continues to deepen, with operating costs increasingly outpacing advertising revenue. Salaries and basic operational expenses are almost entirely covered by the government allocation, highlighting the fragility of the broadcaster’s financial autonomy.

Editorial independence

Although Decree 19/1994 formally stipulates that public media should operate free from interference or external pressure, the reality on the ground tells a different story. TVM is widely perceived as an extension of the government’s communication apparatus, consistently favoring ruling party narratives and excluding dissenting or oppositional viewpoints.

According to Mozambican journalists and media analysts consulted for this report in August 2024 and February 2025, editorial staff often engage in self-censorship, anticipating backlash or disciplinary action from management. Senior editors are known to closely vet content to ensure alignment with government messaging, while reporters have limited freedom to pursue independent or critical journalism.

TVM does maintain an editorial statute, but the document is general in scope and lacks enforceable protections for editorial independence. No legal framework currently exists to guarantee the independence of its newsroom, and no independent oversight mechanism is in place to evaluate the station’s editorial practices or compliance with public interest standards.

June 2025

Media assets

Radio: National Antenna, Maputo City Radio, Radio Maputo Corridor, EP Maputo, EP Gaza, EP Inhambane, EP Manica, EP Sofala, Radio City Beira, EP Tete, EP Zambezia, EP Nampula, EP Cabo Delgado, EP Niassa

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

RM was formally established as a public media enterprise by Decree 18/1994. Governance is vested in a Council of Administration composed of five members. The Chair of the Council, who plays a central role in shaping the broadcaster’s strategic and editorial direction, is appointed by the Council of Ministers. The remaining members are nominated by various state institutions: two by the Ministry of Communications, one by the Ministry of Finance, and one by the staff of Rádio Moçambique itself.

This structure places the station firmly under government influence, with the executive wielding significant control over senior appointments and operational oversight. Although the inclusion of an employee representative theoretically introduces internal input, its weight within the broader council remains marginal.

Source of funding and budget

RM is heavily reliant on state subsidies, which consistently account for the lion’s share of its budget. According to independent media analysts and internal assessments, public funding typically makes up around 80% of RM’s annual income, with the remainder drawn from advertising revenue and household broadcasting fees.

The most recent data, from a 2023 financial report by IGEPE (Instituto de Gestão das Participações do Estado), showed that RM had a total income of MZN 972 million (approx. US$ 15 million). Of this, only 11% came from commercial sales, while 46% was sourced directly from state subsidies. The remaining balance was made up of license fees, collected through the national electricity provider as a bundled household charge. In 2015, by comparison, the station had received MZN 434.6 million (US$ 10.7 million) from the state budget—highlighting a substantial increase in public support over the past decade.

However, no detailed financial disclosures on expenditures, deficits, or profit/loss performance have been published in recent years. RM’s continued opacity regarding its financial management has raised concerns about accountability and efficiency within the broader framework of Mozambique’s state-owned enterprises.

Reports from March 2025 indicate that RM employees are embroiled in uncertainty due to delays in the implementation of the Single Salary Table (TSU), which has impacted pay and benefits.

Editorial independence

Although Rádio Moçambique has long positioned itself as a platform for public discourse and political debate, its editorial independence remains questionable. Despite Decree 18/94 formally obliging public media to operate “free from any interference or influence that might compromise their autonomy,” RM is frequently perceived as biased in favor of the government.

An independent evaluation from 2015 concluded that RM disproportionately favored ruling party perspectives—a trend that, according to local journalists and observers interviewed in 2024 and early 2025, has not significantly changed. Editorial staff are often said to self-censor, particularly during electoral cycles or moments of political sensitivity.

Although RM features open phone-in shows and current affairs programming that allows for critical voices, its core editorial line largely aligns with government messaging. No updated editorial statute explicitly guarantees independence, and no independent oversight mechanism exists to validate compliance with journalistic standards or safeguard against political influence.

June 2025

Media assets

Newspapers: Noticias, Domingo, Desafio

State Media Matrix Typology

Captured Public/State-Managed (CaPu)

Ownership and governance

Sociedade de Notícias functions as a shareholding company, with the Mozambican state controlling 99% of its shares. This ownership stake is held via the Bank of Mozambique, the country’s central bank. As the majority shareholder, the government retains the authority to appoint the company’s Council of Administration, which serves as its principal decision-making body. This institutional structure places the publisher firmly under public sector control, both financially and politically.

In practice, the Council’s composition ensures that key editorial and strategic decisions are influenced—if not outright directed—by state actors. This governance model has long raised questions about the extent to which the company’s editorial independence can be meaningfully exercised.

Source of funding and budget

The company sustains itself primarily through advertising revenues and commercial printing services. However, its financial performance has shown signs of decline in recent years.

According to a 2024 report by IGEPE (Instituto de Gestão das Participações do Estado), the state agency overseeing public enterprises, Sociedade de Notícias posted total revenues of MZN 423 million (approx. US$ 6.56 million) in 2023—a decrease from MZN 471 million (US$ 7.3 million) in 2022. The drop reflects broader structural challenges facing the print media sector, including a shift toward digital platforms and fluctuating advertising markets.

Although the company does not depend directly on annual state subsidies in the manner of public broadcasters, its survival remains closely tied to government-linked advertising contracts and public institutional print orders, which act as indirect forms of state support.

As of mid-2025, no updated financial disclosures for the 2024 fiscal year have been published, and the company’s current liquidity position is unclear. Internal sources report growing pressure to cut costs amid declining print ad revenues, with discussions underway to downsize newsroom operations or consolidate weekend editions.

Editorial independence

While Sociedade de Notícias has made periodic efforts to project editorial neutrality, particularly in its non-political reporting, its flagship newspaper Notícias remains visibly aligned with government policy positions, according to local journalists and media experts consulted for this report. Coverage often echoes the official line, and dissenting or opposition perspectives are either underrepresented or framed within a critical lens.

This is largely attributed to the government’s decisive influence over the company’s governance, which translates into editorial caution and self-censorship among newsroom staff. Despite the presence of internal editorial guidelines, there is no statutory framework guaranteeing editorial independence, nor is there an independent oversight body to monitor or assess the company’s compliance with principles of press freedom or impartiality.

In essence, the editorial tone of Notícias and its sister publications reflects the broader limitations of public-interest journalism in a state-dominated media environment.

June 2025