EiTB will be 40 years old on 31 December. Although it was born to become the main instrument for the normalization of the Basque Country, Euskal Telebista has lost its direction. The main reference is the chain in Spanish, and the Basque is null. From 1983 to 1986 ETB was in Basque. Until 1990 there was a balance in programming in Basque and Spanish. Today, however, this balance has been revolutionised. And along with this imbalance, the fall of the two ETB chains is being very pronounced.

Let's analyze the data. In 2005 ETB2 had an audience share of 18.4%, compared to 9% in 2021. The decrease in ETB1 started much earlier. In 1997 the Basque chain reached the highest point, with a share of 7.5%. In 2005 it fell to 5% and stood at around 2% in 2010, without raising its head. Finally, ETB3 is the child chain. Since its foundation in 2008, the child chain has never achieved exceptional results, but in recent years it is far from 0.9% achieved between 2012 and 2014. Data from 2022 (not counting 2008) may be the worst since its creation: With an average of 0.15%. The remaining distance from Super Bat and Betizu had excellent data (100,000 and 75,000 respectively), and programming was a benchmark for children. However, it is not surprising that the audience share is so low, as programming is very repetitive and Basque children have to go to other chains, tired of seeing the same chapters.

To find the reasons for all these results, the following data can be clarifying:

1.- Since 2021 ETB has purchased 504 films: 458 in Spanish, 28 in Spanish and Basque and 20 in Spanish. None in Basque. In the case of the series, 48 series have been purchased, of which seventeen have doubled to Basque, eleven to Spanish and 20 to Spanish.

2.- In Navarra they still cannot see ETB3, although EH Bildu agreed that the agreement reached with the government of Pedro Sánchez would be seen by 2022.

3.- ETB2 has released 130 films in Spanish from May to September. However, ETB1 has none.

4.- In the last fourteen years, only 70 of the 208 productions in which ETB has participated have been in Basque.

5.- The doublers have reduced their salary by almost 40% in six years. The reduction in wages now adds to the reduction in workload. Currently, 100 hours are allocated for ETB to double in Basque. Ten years ago there were 400, and the decline was already very pronounced: in 1991, 1,589 hours doubled; in 1998, 536 hours; in 2006, 470 hours; in 2013, 132 hours.

6.- Throughout the Basque period ETB has uploaded fourteen films to the Nahieran platform, all in Spanish.

Continuing with the subject of the Basque Country, for fifteen days Mr Bingen Zupiria has carried the sheet, he has proudly said that it is the subtitles, although so far he has not taken any steps in this direction. Throughout the Basque Country we have heard a lot at ETB in Spanish. Another missed opportunity. The Basque was a good time to change the language habits also on television, to offer ETB2 programming in Basque and with subtitles in Spanish and French.

So far, ETB2 has proved a great ability to put the Basques in Spanish. When does Spanish speak in Basque? ETB2 does nothing to the Basque Country and I would ask the Basque Government to take urgent action: Close or reformulate ETB2.

ETB1 and ETB3 should also be radically changed. ETB1 has to offer Basques more than sport, and if ETB3 wants to be the reference chain for Basque children it has much to change.

Therefore, ETB should encourage Euskaldunes to express themselves in Basque and Castilian speakers to translate them into Basque.

Finally, in order to achieve quality programming in EiTB it must be based on local creation, and international leading contents must be folded and/or sub-written to the Basque language. In addition, at a time when the use of Euskera is at a low level, special work is needed to support our language and culture.

The body is the people, the language, the heart. Please do not lose your heart.