The Minister of the Presidency, Justice, and Relations with the Courts, Félix Bolaños, along with Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun from the Sumar party, is set to begin discussions with representatives from various parliamentary groups in Congress. This initiative aims to negotiate measures for democratic renewal, which President Pedro Sánchez outlined last Wednesday.
Bolaños announced that these meetings will take place on Monday, July 22, and Tuesday, July 23. The objective is to develop an action plan that ensures transparency, independence, and pluralism in the media landscape.
They will engage with all political parties represented in the lower house, with the exception of Vox, which has not confirmed its participation. According to parliamentary sources, most of the meetings are scheduled for Monday afternoon. The ministers plan to meet with several parties, including PNV at 5:00 PM, Bildu at 5:30 PM, Podemos at 6:00 PM, and BNG at 6:20 PM.
Aitor Esteban, spokesperson for the PNV, expressed a constructive approach toward the meeting, a sentiment shared by other coalition partners. However, they have criticized Sánchez’s proposals as inadequate, noting they are primarily based on existing European media regulations.
Meetings with the Popular Party (PP), ERC, and CC are expected to take place on Tuesday, coinciding with a plenary session in Congress. PP leadership has indicated that they will attend with a mindset of listening to the ministers but remain skeptical.
During his appearance in Congress, Sánchez emphasized the importance of aligning Spanish law with the recently approved European media regulations. He pointed out that while all political groups, except for the far-right, supported this in the European Parliament, the same can be done in Spain.
Sánchez highlighted that the regulation mandates transparency regarding the funding sources of media outlets, their shareholders, and audience figures. This transparency is vital to prevent fraudulent advertising practices by governments through means such as bots and clickbait, as well as to curb foreign interference.
He also discussed the imperative to restrict the financing of media by public administrations, ensuring that no outlet is predominantly funded by public money over its readership and that political parties cannot buy editorial lines with taxpayer money.
To achieve these goals, the government plans to update the Institutional Advertising Law, which was established two decades ago, during a time when print media was more dominant than digital forms.
Sánchez reiterated his commitment to safeguarding editorial independence and the rights of media professionals, stating that measures will be taken to shield them from political and corporate pressures.
Furthermore, he announced a funding package of 100 million euros aimed at assisting media outlets in their digital transformation. This funding will support the development of databases, tools to enhance productivity and information quality, and strengthen cybersecurity measures.
Image and News Source: https://www.infobae.com/espana/agencias/2024/07/22/bolanos-y-urtasun-inician-hoy-su-ronda-de-contactos-con-los-grupos-del-congreso-para-avanzar-medidas-de-regeneracion/
