- To address the impact of the pandemic and taking into account the “important role of the professional media”, the Basque Government has donated EUR 5 million to various media, in proportion to CIES and internet hearings. But it has only given money to the written press and daily radio (93.4% of the money to the Spanish-language media), and they have been rejected every day by the internet, weekly, local media, specialized, popular TVs…
Of these EUR 5 million, the Basque Government has granted 93.4% to the Spanish media and 6.6% to the Basque media. The Vocento group (El Correo y Diario Vasco) will receive 2.4 million euros, the News Group (Deia, Noticias de Gipuzkoa y Noticias de Álava) 843,000 euros, the Gara newspaper 305,000 euros and the Noticias group 290,427 euros. As for radios, the SER chain is the one that received the most money (EUR 520,244). The distribution list can be read, in detail, at the end of this news item.
Advertising related to COVID-19 also reaches some media
In addition, institutional advertising has been a way of mitigating the damage caused by the coronavirus. But the Basque Government has clearly prioritised some media outlets to establish COVID19 related advertising. This is the 2020 data list: Email 691.969.53 euros, Diario Vasco 413.018.94 euros, SER 313.262.06 euros, Deia 312.466.68 euros, Gara 257.507.86 euros, Noticias de Gipuzkoa 170.378.55 euros, Berria 160.772.57 euros, Noticias de Álava 139.627.59 euros, 40 Principal 100.4388.35 euros, Onda
ARGIA has received EUR 2,752.07 in institutional advertising related to COVID19.
In what criteria have the media in the sector that have suffered this "economic earthquake" and played an important role, as in the case of ARGIA?
What criteria does the Government use?
Basque Government spokesman Bingen Zupiria has highlighted two characteristics for the approval of this direct item of EUR 5 million: On the one hand, the “economic earthquake” caused by COVID19 and on the other, the “relevant and effective role” of the “professional and close media” that during the pandemic has been “evident”. In this regard, we have asked the Basque Government directly: What criteria have the various media in the sector that have suffered this economic earthquake and played an important role, including ARGIA? The answer has been short: “We have taken into account the supports with the highest structural expenditure.” But the difficult situation is experienced by all the media, not just a few.
Once again, it has become clear how much is being strengthened and excluded from our institutions with public money, who is given the economic support to go ahead and to whom is not, making us see that it is a great imbalance of public resources in the same playing field, to the detriment of the independent media.
Once again, it has become clear what is strengthened and rejected from our institutions with public money, showing that the imbalance of public resources is large despite playing in the same field.
The Basque Government has allocated EUR 5 million as follows:
El Correo 1.608.716.91 €
Diario Vasco 747,535,64 €
Call 558.126.27 €
Gara 305.580,45 €
News from Gipuzkoa 171.731.16 €
News of Álava 113.645,62 €
New 290,427,7€
SER 520.244.41 €
Nervión-Gorbea 224.765.78 €
Cope 174.256.62 €
Wave Zero 123.747.45 €
Onda Vasca 73,238,29 €
Popular Radio 25.254.58 €
7 Radio 22,729,12 €
Bizkaia Irratia 40,000 € (in attention to the audience it corresponds to 17,678.21 euros, but is given 40,000 euros for being radio in Basque)