José Manuel Pérez Tornero, head of RTVE, speaks for the first time about the new Audiovisual Law and its impact on the role of public broadcasting in Spain and Europe. The changes will require reform of the financial system of the organization it manages, but this reform will be less dramatic than in other European countries.
It gave the impression that there was a bet that public television would disappear with the digital transformation in the European Union.
–Good part.
-Community directives treated them as a commercial service, not a public service.
–It was a scare. Digital seemed like anyone could compete with anyone. And what happened? Well, it’s not all for good. For example, on information saturation, there has been a lot of information clamor, a lot of fake news, and this is already alarming from a democratic point of view, from a technological domination point of view. It is also worrying that Europe suddenly finds itself outside in technology, and that it is in the hands of a power like China or the USA. There are several digital companies working with European dominance. A pretty solid feeling right now in the European Commission, Parliament, States that we’re either going to work together (digital development, hi-tech, artificial intelligence, digital and audiovisual rights) or we’ve lost the essence of what Europe could be in. there is. future, what it is.
There has been a certain contempt for the character of the civil service.
–It is changing. The other day in Cannes, the directors of the most important public television channels met with what they call the Big Five, and said that European cinema is financed and supported by European television channels, not only with money that anyone can give, but also by European television channels. Support, instruction, dissemination, without which European cinema would not be what it is today. It would have happened to us, as in the NBA, that all the good players in Europe would go to the NBA League and the basketball sport in Europe would look bad. This is very important in the cinema.
-What happens is that everyone buys that speech, but then it is enacted in favor of private television, for example, when it should be noted in the Spanish audio-visual law that has just been voted.
– Here Spain can do a lot positively. The fact that the law states in quotation marks that Radiotelevisión Española can support independent or non-independent production companies that are compatible with other channels does not mean that Radiotelevisión Española has not made a firm commitment to independent production and we will do it, we will do it in cinema, we will do it in programming, respecting everyone’s rights but very solidly. we will do it somehow. For us, we are more obliged to invest in Spanish cinema and Spanish audiovisual, so we have more to the hours calculated for us, but we will do it with great pleasure. And among the production companies we can hire, we will try to defend not only the big ones, but also the small and the rising ones. If there is no pluralism in recruitment and support, there is no cultural diversity, for example, no linguistic diversity. We will also give significant support to language diversity. Regardless of what the law is and the lobbies and concessions that affect it, TVE’s role is more important. In order to express our determination and determination on this issue, I will offer a meeting with the audio-visual producers and the world of cinema. Because it’s a creative commitment. It is not commitment to capital, but commitment to creative capital.
– But it feels like there isn’t a majority in Congress in favor of public television.
–I know the government is trying to defend public television because it gave me reasonable funding. It is a very important sign that we have been given Next Generation funds to modernize ourselves. With great determination and high-mindedness, the first opposition party expressed its commitment to the public television network, because otherwise certain areas would not be talked about. And when you speak of the left, the right in general, others do not express the will to end public television, except for some groups that say they will liquidate public television. What we found is that we are open to analysis, we are open to the channel, just as private televisions are very secretive or do not make their accounts and decisions transparent. In other words, even competing in a sports auction is difficult because you immediately know how much money you have or how much a server is making. But that transparency is good, and that’s why we’re getting more and more criticism. People expect and value a lot from public television, as we’ve seen in the large consultation, which is research that we do with surveys and qualitative interviews. In another audio-visual way, this is what we have to promote.
-The enemies/competitors are strong because you have personally tried to open the channel in your private finances.
–this The article requires it. I wear sporty. In other words, if they told me how I want them to talk about me in the media, I would want it to be accurate, verify the information, and not convey any deception. You are in sight, you have to submit to the constant scrutiny of the public, certain things are clear in the medium and long term. We have entered a very serious transformation process that is developing. I think the independence of professionals has increased. I believe that the credibility of our news programs has increased and that special programs should be paid attention to for our news about the war in Ukraine. The analyzes are measuring, and everything else will pass.
-Then you don’t have any confidential files belonging to journalists?
–I have always defended editorial boards, which are places where a medium can express its defense of the newsroom’s independence. In this case, we have a statute that says if someone doesn’t want to sign information, they don’t have to sign. If someone receives something that threatens their professional independence, they can express it, they have advice to apply, and the Company also has an editorial line that must be independent, politically neutral and developed, is socially committed. Well, advice for that, solid, stable, persistent, and serious and rigorous advice, works. And I believe that we should defend that we are one of the few news centers in our country that have these assurances, and that I come to the Parliament regularly every month and announce the decisions. This is healthy and you have to get used to it, professionals, managers etc. dialogue between There will always be a lively dialogue, because each one has its criteria and that dialogue will come to light.
-A dialogue that can carry risks…
–The door to my president’s office will always be open. Whoever wants me to go. Anyone who wants and wants to have a dialogue, let’s say, wants to know a point of view and exchange ideas. So we all have a responsibility. Everyone should fulfill this responsibility. I am satisfied with my job. I would like to go faster, I would like to meet the demands of the society more, but the truth is that this house has a very long history, many years and has gone through all kinds of ups and downs and keeping up with the conditions requires calm. , time and responsibility and above all patience. I appreciate the patience shown by our citizens and I ask my administrators to be especially patient.
-They also blamed him for a certain instability in the management team.
–There are managers who are very suitable for a time and a moment. I have good advisors and they tell me that the turnover rate in a private company is much higher than ours. When you compare it to political institutions, it’s all about looking at the changes that have taken place. We have the necessary stability, but there will be more changes. This makes sense. There are managers with a competency that comes in handy for a groundbreaking moment, and others for others. And then you have to take into account that there will be about 140 rulers in this house. I’ve made more than ten appointments, and I’ve been able to do that by recommending it to the board. They were not my date. The successive appointments of these directors were made through public competition. We have a stable workforce because people are not being laid off and we have a comprehensive replacement plan.
-This assembly was the result of a law amendment made after a somewhat tumultuous period. Are you satisfied with the functioning of the public broadcasting management?
I’ve learned that in every moment of your life it takes a certain discontent to evolve and a certain rebellion to gain strength for that change. This country needs many changes in every aspect. Like you said, this tip is one. I have publicly acknowledged this, inclusion of public contest is progress. A two-thirds majority election is also important, and some lessons have been learned in the process that will enable us to improve in the future. I think we should improve, not go back. I sincerely believe that we must move forward, we must continue to move forward, and I generally believe that the political arc assumes that the road is practically irreversible, and that by making it irreversible, we are increasingly solidifying an institution that should be. independent.