Protest among Spanish Television journalists over 'The Family on TV'

BarcelonaThe program The TV family has already caused some serious problems within RTVE itself. The news council—the body that represents the company's journalists—has issued a statement urging the broadcaster's president to restore the credibility of Spanish public television. The note comes as a result of a connection made from the Vatican by a contributor to the network's afternoon magazine show, using a La1 microphone like the ones used by the newsroom's journalists. "The news professionals at this company have been spending long days in Rome reporting seriously and rigorously on the conclave for the election of the new pope. Neither the tone nor the manner [of The TV family] is what is expected of public television at an event of this importance. Our viewers and our professionals deserve respect."

The board believes that the RTVE brand has been damaged and urges the presidency of the entity to act so that the program of the former architects of the Save me Telecinco's "does not undermine the credibility of the news services." This is not the first internal opposition to this entertainment program. The USO union has also made its protest public and considers the new format "a mixture of aimless spectacle, major technical glitches, and the widespread feeling that RTVE is losing its way." The press release attacks what it understands to be the adoption of a way of making television more akin to trash TV: "RTVE has a clear responsibility to the public. We are not here to imitate private networks or compete with empty entertainment. Investing public resources in this type of product while cutting back or underutilizing other news and cultural spaces is a challenge.