PP denounce radio show to Electoral Commission for lack of “neutrality”
Program’s host spoke of jailed political leaders and others abroad, and criticized Spanish takeover of Catalonia's self-rule
The Catalan People’s Party (PP) denounced the Catalan radio program ‘El Matí de Catalunya Ràdio’ to the Electoral Commission of Barcelona, as they consider that the editorial of the radio show of November 28 doesn’t comply with the principle of “informative neutrality”. The radio program, hosted by Mònica Terribas, one of the most famous Catalan journalists, is broadcasted on Catalunya Ràdio, the Catalan public radio broadcaster.
According to the PP, although the style guide for the Catalan Public Broadcasting Corporation (CCMA) editorials can have a “personal and informal” style, they argued that "opinions" cannot be expressed.
In the editorial, the journalist recalled that there are leaders of some Catalan parties who are in jail and others who cannot come back to Spain because if they do so they will be sent to prison. "A Catalan government has been intervened with economically since September, without self-government for a month, and with police reinforcements that acted on October 1 and who will ensure that the election day is, as always, the great party of democracy," said Terribas.
In the complaint, the PP reminded that the Spanish constitution states that public media such as Catalunya Ràdio, or any other public institution, depend on the Spanish state and, therefore, must respect the "pluralism of society". Thus, the PP requested the Electoral Board through the complaint to state that what Terribas’ said did respect neither the General Electoral System nor the principles of informative neutrality and diversity.