A recent report by the Disenso Foundation and VOX sheds light on the financial structure of public broadcasting in Spain, revealing shocking figures. Titled “Public Television and Political Control in Congress”, the report indicates that RTVE as well as regional television and radio stations received over 2 billion euros in public funds in 2023. RTVE alone received 1,064.6 million euros, regional television stations 986 million, and regional radio stations 83.8 million euros. This sum is more than double the 840 million euros the government spent on cancer research projects over the past six years.
Waste of Public Funds Amidst Social Hardship
The report sharply criticizes this waste of public money, especially given the social situation in Spain. Many Spaniards struggle to make ends meet or cannot afford a home. Furthermore, Spain has the highest rate in the Eurozone of children at risk of poverty and social exclusion: almost three million children are affected.
A central point of criticism is the staffing structure of RTVE, which, with almost 7,000 employees, is described as “disproportionate” and “consumes resources and hinders its efficiency.” In comparison, the largest private television platforms in Spain, Mediaset and Atresmedia, employ fewer than 1,500 people.
Declining Viewership Despite High Investments
Despite the enormous budget, RTVE‘s viewership figures did not increase, remaining at around 10.5%. This also applies to expensive new programs such as “La Revuelta” by David Broncano or the canceled show “La familia de la tele”. The report labels these productions as products of “cultural Marxism” that have “turned public television into a mouthpiece for socialism.”
The Role of Institutional Advertising and Political Influence
The waste of public funds is not limited to RTVE. The Disenso Foundation’s report shows that this model is also adopted at the regional level by autonomous communities, regardless of whether they are governed by the PSOE or the PP. These regional broadcasting chains spend hundreds of millions of euros each year to support “regional ideological projects.”
The role of institutional advertising is particularly criticized. The high volume of spending in this area has made the executive one of the most important advertisers in Spain. “The use of these resources to reinforce certain editorial lines or related media has drawn criticism regarding the possible instrumentalization of this communication tool,” the report states.
The report concludes by demanding that the audiovisual policy of the Spanish administrations, and particularly the media strategy of the Spanish government, be reviewed based on criteria of financial stability and management efficiency. Furthermore, it calls for an end to the increasing politicization of these channels and the propaganda and control practices aimed at influencing private media and the audiovisual sector as a whole.
