The EBU has released a statement where it has expressed its concern by the establishment committee of inquiry into RTVE.
The EBU’s statement reads:
The EBU expresses its concern ahead of the establishment of a committee of inquiry into the RTVE Corporation, approved by the Spanish Senate and due to be constituted on 28 April. The committee is expected to examine RTVE’s editorial practices and governance.
Although the EBU welcomes checks and balances, existing oversight mechanisms already require RTVE to be transparent and accountable to the public in line with the recognized international standards of the Council of Europe.
Our Member has also raised concerns about the risks inherent in such initiatives, where editorial decisions may be assessed against criteria that fall outside established professional standards, without a clearly defined purpose, outcome, or proportionate follow-up actions.
RTVE’s independence as a component of the European public media ecosystem is vital and any politicization poses a direct threat to democratic access to trusted journalism in the face of rising misinformation and disinformation and runs contrary to the European Media Freedom Act.
The EBU will continue to monitor the situation in Spain closely and remains open to constructive engagement to ensure full alignment with European legislation and the fundamental principles underpinning public service media.
