Recent statements made during a Senate control commission have sparked controversy regarding the alleged manipulation of audience ratings for the La 1 channel of TVE. This issue gained attention after the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, referenced the media landscape in his remarks.
According to discussions on the Ana Rosa Program, there are claims that the government has effectively “purchased” Kantar Media, the firm responsible for measuring and auditing television audiences, to skew ratings in favor of TVE. This has raised concerns about the integrity of programming such as “La hora de La 1” with Silvia Intxaurrondo, “Mañaneros 360” hosted by Adela González and Javier Ruiz, and “Malas Lenguas” with Jesús Cintora.
During the Senate inquiry, Sánchez criticized the press, likening parts of it to a “mud machine,” with Telemadrid under Isabel Díaz Ayuso as a particular example of this phenomenon. In response to these claims, Antonio Montero, a contributor to the program, expressed his concerns, stating, “You are not in a position to hand out journalist credentials; we have been in this business for a long time… This is an extremely dangerous fire, and I believe there comes a moment when we need to say enough.”
The ongoing debate highlights significant tensions between the media and political entities in Spain, raising questions about the transparency and independence of public broadcasting.
