A distinguishing feature of Cabo Verde is the absence of attacks on journalists and the exceptional media freedom, which is guaranteed by the constitution. The most recent defamation suit was in 2002. Those who run the public media, which dominate the media landscape, have until now been appointed directly by the government. They include Televisão de Cabo Verde (TCV), the main TV channel, and Radio Nacional de Cabo Verde (RCV). Their content is not controlled but self-censorship is widely practiced. Nonetheless, under the new statutes for Radio Televisão Cabo-verdiana (RTC), the main public media group, that were approved in 2019, the government loses its power to appoint its executives and, in accordance with the new statutes, RTC gave itself a new independent board of governors in July 2020 that is meant to ensure that it has greater autonomy and independence. The development of privately-owned media is held back by the limited income available from advertising and by the lack of state subsidies for commercial broadcast media. The archipelago’s geography hampers print media distribution and broadcasting to all ten islands.
Cabo Verde
