Galicia: Journalists Raise Against Manipulation

The staff of CRTVG, the public broadcaster in Galicia, an autonomous community in northwestern Spain, took to the streets to call on the government to stop meddling in the station’s affairs, wrote the Spanish daily El Pais. The journalists were supported by the staff of RTVE, Spain’s nationwide public broadcaster.

The journalists’ unprecedented protests have lasted for months and culminated in a public demonstration in the streets of Santiago de Compostela, the Galician capital city, on 8 September 2018. The journalists’ message to the government was straightforward: “We are not the cabinet of communication of any Government.”

Rebellious journalists demanded that the management of CRTVG “immediately cease the practices of information manipulation” and comply with a law adopted in 2011, according to which external and internal structures should be in place to guarantee the viewers’ right to unbiased information.

Political interference and the declining quality of television programs were among the issues that irked journalists said were a common practice that they have to face on a regular basis both at CRTVG and RTVE. Marga Pazos, a journalist and anchor of CRTVG and Rita Alonso of RTVE, urged all their colleagues not to cave in to the pressures of their bosses.

Galicia has a population of some 2.7 million, which is the fifth largest region in Spain. Xunta de Galicia is the local government, which is now led by Alberto Nunez Feijoo.