The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) consortium expresses concern over Spain’s recent decree lowering the majority required to appoint board members for RTVE, the national public service broadcasters, risking increased political control. We urge the Parliament of Spain to protect RTVE’s independence and ensure a transparent selection.
On 22 October 2024, the Spanish government enacted a decree law that reduces the parliamentary majority requirement for renewing the appointment of board members of RTVE, the national public service broadcasters (namely TVE or Televisión Española, and RNE or Radio Nacional de España), from a two-thirds majority to a simple absolute majority.
This amendment to Law 17/2006 on Public Broadcasting also expands the number of RTVE board members from 10 to 15 (of which 11 would be chosen by Parliament, 4 by the Senate) and strengthens powers granted to the board’s president.
We recall that the State’s obligation to promote media freedom and pluralism, including through the media, does not permit it to interfere with broadcasters’ freedom of expression, including publicly-funded media. An important implication of these guarantees is that bodies that exercise regulatory or other powers over broadcasters must be independent. This principle has been explicitly endorsed in a number of international and regional instruments, including the new European Media Freedom Act, which requires the EU member states to ensure the independent functioning of public service media.
We urge the Spanish government to prioritise media independence by adhering to transparent, merit-based board appointments. To limit political influence on Spain’s public service broadcaster, we call on the Parliament of Spain to reject the decree law as it is, and preserve the two-thirds majority requirement. Our consortium will keep advocating for measures that guarantee RTVE’s autonomy, and respect international media freedom standards.
Signed
International Press Institute (IPI)
ARTICLE 19 Europe
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
This statement was coordinated by the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States, Candidate Countries and Ukraine.
