Spain: IFJ-EFJ stand in solidarity with Madrid’s public broadcaster workers

The International and European Federations of Journalists (EFJ and IFJ) join their Spanish affiliate, Federación de Servicios a la Ciudadanía de CC.OO, in its call for the defence of Madrid’s public service broadcaster RTVM (Telemadrid and Onda Madrid) from the blocking situation its management is suffering by the regional government.

Credits: CCOO

The Government of the Community of Madrid is carrying out an institutional blocking strategy against its public broadcaster and its workers.

It is not allowing the replacement of medical leaves for months, it has not yet authorised the broadcasting of women’s sport or second division football matches that have been taking place since 2017, nor has it approved the expense accepted in the Program Contract for the essential technological renovation of the company.

The last decades have been critical for RTVM, which has been victim of intense political interferences and suffered the layoff of 860 workers seven years ago.

The current situation is causing a serious deterioration of the scheme agreed in 2015 and the media law to shield Telemadrid and Onda Madrid from political interference.

Nevertheless, unions claim that the new regional presidency is applying an administrative and economic blockade that could lead to the collapse of this new project that had improved the public broadcaster's audience rates and its role as a public service media.

Anthony Bellanger, IFJ General Secretary said: “We stand in solidarity with CCOO and all Telemadrid workers, who are facing permanent attacks from Madrid’s government. The use of public media in a partisan manner and as a weapon of political propaganda is unacceptable”.

Ricardo Gutiérrez, EFJ General Secretary said: “We call on the Madrid regional government to refrain from interfering in the management of RTVM. We are concerned by governments’ attempts to turn public broadcasting into government broadcasting. A genuine public service media requires editorial and operational independence from the State”.

A demonstration will take place next Saturday, January 11, at 12 noon, between the Plaza de Jacinto Benavente and Puerta del Sol (Madrid). In addition, a citizen and social platform will be promoted in the near future to defend the regional radio.

For more information, please contact IFJ on +32 2 235 22 16

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 146 countries

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