The government intends to initiate a round of contacts with the various political groups “Action plan that helps protect democracy”, as Pedro Sánchez indicated on Wednesday in the Congress of Deputies, where he explained what the main measures of that plan will be. Sánchez indicated that this proposal from the executive branch stems from the desire to transfer the European Union regulations, which all parties except the far right voted for, to Spanish legislation. These measures, the president indicated, are focused on “four main principles: transparency, independence, pluralism and protection”:
More transparency in the media: financing, audience and advertising
One of the fundamental axes on which the measures focus is that concerning the media, in particular to improve their transparency. To this end, the aim is to set new standards “in the areas of ownership, the allocation of institutional advertising and audience measurement” of private media, so that citizens can know “their sources of financing, the names of their shareholders and their audience ratings.”
Furthermore, it aims to “limit the funding that governments can spend on the media, so that there is no one who has more public financiers than readers.” With this aim in mind, the intention is to update the Institutional Advertising Act, “approved almost twenty years ago.”
Media independence and pluralism
Actions are intended to protect and ensure “editorial independence and the rights of media professionals to avoid political and business pressure on journalists.” On this point, the President of the Government has hinted on the threats of the Chief of Staff Isabel Díaz Ayuso, Miguel Angel Rodriguezto elDiario.es. “So that no journalist has to hear again 'we are going to crush you, you will have to close'”, he assured, referring to the words he said to a journalist from this newspaper.
Furthermore, it aims to take actions to defend pluralism and competition “in order to avoid the concentration of the media in a few hands.”
Protection of rights
Another point is that which corresponds to the movements that want to guarantee the rights of both the media and the citizens. “We want to strengthen the rights to honor and rectification of citizenship,” said Sánchez. “The media must be free, be able to develop their editorial line and citizens must be able to defend themselves when defamation is spread,” he added.
Digitization assistance package
In addition, a support package of 100 million euros has been announced for the digitalization of the media, both to carry out these digitalization tasks and to strengthen their cybersecurity. This aid, the Socialist president explained, will come from European funds and will be allocated “to all media that need it, regardless of their editorial line.”
Gag law
This regeneration package also includes the reform of part of the Gag Law, announced by Vice President Yolanda Díaz this Tuesday. We will propose a new reform of the Gag law regarding freedom of expression. Again, in line with the Spanish Constitution,” Sánchez added.
Executive branch: strategy for transparency in government information
This regeneration also aims to improve transparency in the executive branch. For this reason, the government plans to approve a “National Open Government Strategy”, in addition to presenting a “new Open Government Act, which expands and improves the quantity and quality of government information.”