The CAC orders the withdrawal of a Catalan government campaign because it promotes its economic plan.

BarcelonaSince taking office, Salvador Illa's government has pivoted its communications policy around the management and functioning of the economy. And one of the key elements of this strategy has been the Catalunya Lidera plan: a package of 200 measures to inject 18.5 billion euros into the Catalan economy over five years and ensure that Catalonia surpasses Madrid in wealth generation. In an effort to spread the word about the virtues of this plan, the Catalan government has launched an institutional advertising campaign on several fronts, including radio and television. However, it has now run into opposition from the Catalan Audiovisual Council, which has ordered TV3, Catalunya Ràdio, and RAC1 to stop broadcasting it. Why? According to the organization, it violates the rules on institutional advertising.

According to the General Law on Audiovisual Communication, the government cannot carry out campaigns that aim to "highlight management achievements or objectives achieved." And that is what the CAC (Catalan Audiovisual Council) is criticizing the Generalitat for: using an institutional campaign with a "compilation of future actions," when the law only allows for advertising "information on public services." This is stated in an agreement adopted by the body's plenary session by three votes in favor and one abstention, as consulted by the ARA (Argentine National Audit Office). In the campaign spots, the Catalan government promotes investments in infrastructure, employment, and renewable energy: "For a stronger Catalonia and a future for all," concludes the spot.

The CAC is the body responsible for overseeing compliance with the audiovisual law in Catalonia, and therefore, the removal order is mandatory. The last time it made a decision of this kind was during the ERC government's campaign. We are clear about our destiny, in March 2024, also for the same reasons.

The Government disagrees, but complies

Sources from Salvador Illa's government assure that they accept the CAC's decision despite disagreeing, and warn that they are already working on a new version for the broadcasts scheduled for September. Specifically, they state, this version will include references to specific services on the website linked to the Catalunya Lidera plan. For now, the CAC's decision has already drawn criticism from the president of Junts in the Parliament, Albert Batet. "The government is trying to cover up its false normality and poor management with so much propaganda that it even breaks the law," he asserted.