The San Fermín festivities have left a couple of prominent focuses within Radio Televisión Española. The first of them, the intervention of Cayetano Rivera asking for the return of bullfights to La 1. And, secondly, the instances of harassment received by several of his workers. As the reporter Adrián Arnau revealed, he and other of his colleagues have been victims of spitting, shoving and humiliation during their stay in Pamplona. Something that the public entity has alerted.
The RTVE News Council issued a statement on Tuesday condemning the events that occurred and holding those who publicly promote harassment as responsible. The text highlights several examples that have occurred in a very short period of time to alert the situation they are experiencing. In addition, they have asked both citizens and institutions to consider their attitudes, as well as to review any possible risk.
“Unfortunately, it has become commonplace that, year after year, TVE workers who make live connections see themselves attacked and rebuked by individuals on the street. Usually, when it comes to providing coverage to massive events or events with an important political impact, a situation of relative security is assumed based on the good behavior and good faith of those attending any event. But unfortunately, and at a dizzying pace, this premise is changing,” the statement begins.
“TVE and its workers have become the target of physical and verbal attacks, supported, in part, by the slander poured out on social networks against this public service,” details the Information Council, referring to the incidents that occurred in San Fermín, the Moncloa and during Pride. That is why the public channel calls on citizens “to recover civility and respect for the work of information professionals.”
There is also a request to the authorities organizing events, to facilitate their work and not “stoke the fire against workers who are performing a public service.” On the other hand, “to remind those who have a public image and who promote this harassment that they are accomplices and responsible for the situations of violence that are generated.” Finally, they have indicated to those responsible for covering large events that they analyze the locations to avoid risks.
It has not been the only condemnation reaction to the attacks suffered in recent weeks. The director of General Content of the entity, José Pablo López, has also spoken about it: “These days, many digital media have amplified the ethylic screams of madmen dedicated to sabotaging the work of RTVE professionals. They are easy clicks. Now we can see the consequences. We forget about people and, of course, about journalism.”
