TVE's news council becomes José Pablo López's internal scourge

Spring hasn't been easy for José Pablo López. RTVE's president is facing growing internal unrest within the corporation.The failures of "La familia de la tele" and Eurovision have eroded his image.

In addition, internal opposition has emerged, organized around TVE's News Council, which has been chaired by Óscar Nieto for several months. The veteran cameraman has taken a critical stance toward the current management. The body, responsible for ensuring the independence and rigor of news content on public television, has become the most uncomfortable voice within the organization. They do so in response to some editorial and strategic decisions made recently.

Since Nieto took over as president of the Council, the institution has raised the tone of their statements,focusing their criticism on various content and production decisions that affect TVE's news and editorial line.

One of the main sources of discontent has been the coverage that "La familia de la tele" gave to the election of the new Pope. Or the broadcast of the documentary "7291," which deals with the shame protocols that were applied only in the Community of Madrid (Comunidad de Madrid).

Although the documentary has been praised for its social content and humanitarian approach, the Council believes that the way its broadcast was handled raises questions about news balance and editorial independence.

Private production in current affairs programs, a red line

Another point of friction that has caused more internal debate is the growing outsourcing of current affairs programs. This phenomenon already drew criticism in previous legislative terms and is once again at the center of the storm. The News Council has expressed concern over the fact that programs such as "Mañaneros" or "Malas Lenguas" address topics of news and social interest when they are produced by external companies, that is, private production companies.

This practice isn't new, but it stands out because of PSOE's change of position, which, while in opposition, specifically criticized the use of private production companies to generate news content on a public channel.Now, the Council recalls this contradiction, pointing out that past criticism seems to have been forgotten as soon as management changed hands.

For many RTVE employees, this trend calls into question the editorial autonomy of the programs. It may even violate the Mandato Marco. In addition, it means a loss of influence for internal teams, who have traditionally been responsible for producing the channel's news content.

Audience failures and reputational crises

These tensions are compounded by a series of recent setbacks in programming, which have further weakened the interim president's position. One of the most notable has been the poor performance of the program "La familia de la tele."

The controversial gossip show isn't managing to connect with the audience or reach the share targets set by management. The format, despite having an attractive proposal on paper, hasn't managed to take off. It's received harsh criticism in specialized media.

Even more controversial, if possible, has been the episode related to Spain's representation at Eurovision 2025.The artist Melody finished third from last. Without hesitation, she went home for a week after the festival. The Sevillian has ended up snubbing RTVE. Next week she is scheduled to appear on a set for the first time since the festival.

She will do so on the competition, "El Hormiguero." The visit comes just days after the singer harshly criticized David Broncano.The showman has replied to her. The La 1 star has reproached her for her self-serving use of mental health and her excuses to condemn terrorism in Israel.

A complex institutional context

José Pablo López's situation is easier on the institutional front. The executive has the support of part of the Government and the board of directors, which is controlled by the parties that support the Executive.

Nevertheless, recent events seem to have revitalized the role of the News Council as a counterweight within the corporation's structure. Under the presidency of Óscar Nieto, the Council is adopting a more combative attitude. This could foreshadow new episodes of tension if relations aren't redirected.