What wasn't surprising was PP’s reaction. It opposes the plan because it would sound the death knell for RTVE. PP, which on many occasions has called itself a free market  belief in the free market party, cannot be against reducing state omnipotence. PP is not a free market party. That is, it doesn’t believe absolute sovereignty in economy and private affairs resides with individuals rather than the state. A true free market party would have said ZP’s proposal doesn’t go far enough, that it doesn’t fix anything and that RTVE’s total privatization is the only way forward.

 

A “public” communications group, as if the private ones weren’t also public, makes no sense for six reasons.

 

First, we pay for it whether we watch it or not. Do you enjoy paying more taxes just because? RTVE is not free!

 

Second, it does not cover any sub-marginal (economically speaking) need. If you like documentaries, do you prefer the ancient and boring ones shown on La 2 or the modern ones on the National Geographic channel?

 

Third, it is not impartial. What is impartial under Franco? Under Gonzalez? Under Aznar? Is it now?

 

Fourth, it is not an alternative to junk TV; it tries to behave like a private channel with commercial programs and movies, soap operas and gossip shows; it broadcast the entire Harry Potter saga.

 

Fifth, because its management, as opposed to a private media company, effects all citizens, is totally deficient and has never had any brakes. In the past few years, it has generated an average annual deficit of some €100 million, with just adds to the existing €7.5 billion debt: a bottomless pit paid for by all taxpayers.

 

And sixth, its commercial content represents unfair and dangerous competition for private channels, and this includes their employees as well.

 

The government’s proposal is the “death knell”? I wish –and the sooner the better. Its continued existence doesn’t mean a better quality of life for Spaniards, but rather less purchasing power. And the workers who will be fired? It isn’t their fault, but it is even less our fault. The government will surely keep them quiet, but the money is ours, it doesn’t belong to our leaders… The only solution to the problem is to open the market with unlimited licenses for radio, television and allow the market to decide when enough is enough.

 

In short, the government’s proposal is weak. It has little real value and will probably be much more costly than it should be, but PP’s response has been even worse –obsessed with trying to grab some votes it will never get (I doubt any employee at RTVE is going to vote PP for this reason) and worried it will inherit a “weaken” tool to manipulate the people with when it returns to power.