The region of Pamplona has had a local television entirely in Basque since 2 February. In 2013, Xaloa Telebista obtained the license to broadcast via Digital Terrestrial Television in the Region of Pamplona. A year later, in November 2014, the crowdfounding campaign was launched to address, inter alia, the costs of repeaters. They are based in the cultural centre of Berriozar, and are about to produce their own three hours a day, coinciding with the five months of issue.

Since they began to broadcast from their headquarters in Elizondo in 1997, they have approached the inhabitants of the districts of Baztan, Bidasoa, Malerreka, Urdax and Zugarramurdi. Although in 2013 they were licensed to broadcast throughout Navarre and in the region of Pamplona, they were not able to cope with the investment, so they refused to broadcast throughout Navarre. However, they began to develop a project to start broadcasting in the region of Pamplona.

EUR 53,760 to start

Xaloa TB is not a great television, but a television that starts little by little and that serves the citizens of the Region of Pamplona. In November 2014, the crowdfounding campaign was launched in collaboration with Tokikom (The Local Media Meeting Point) via the Karena platform.

The project was supported by Udalbiltza, Topagunea, AEK and other institutions and raised 53,760 euros thanks to the contribution of citizens, institutions and groups of popular movements. So, among other things, they got the repeaters needed to start broadcasting. The main repeater is in Elomendi, which means that, in addition to Xaloa, Hamaika Telebista and Nafar Telebista, they also have the possibility to broadcast the programme live. They also signal from Mt. Ezkaba.

In Euskera and Euskera, a tool for Euskaldunizar the Region of Pamplona

For five months, associations and entities of the County of Pamplona have had the opportunity to participate in the tour. One of the objectives of Xaloa Telebista is that the associations and organizations can have a tool to make known their intentions, their reflections and the information they want to publish. The members of Xaloa Telebista are clear that this requires work, so one of the challenges is to set out very well how to disseminate that information.

Xaloa Telebista’s way of working is collaborative and any organization, association or citizenship that approaches will be welcomed when it comes to advancing the project it has in its hands. Xaloa aims to cooperate, making available to society the tools and resources they have, both in Basque and Basque.

Xaloa Telebista Although the region of Pamplona can be seen in houses throughout the territory, the strength of the signal coming out of Mount Ezkaba is having problems. Citizens have to tune in to channel 38 of TDT in order to see Xaloa. By September the signal will be strengthened and will be seen throughout the region of Pamplona.

Target own production

Although they started broadcasting on 2 February, in December 2014 they carried out several test programs with the issuance of other Xaloa Telebista programs. In January, they began to cover each day and then two magazines were launched: one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. Specialized programmes have recently begun to be issued. Children, culture and sport will be the protagonists of the five sessions that will take place in the Main Theatre. The aim is to stabilise the daily emission by September.

Young team

Xaloa Telebista is based in the cultural centre of Berriozar. The studies are still being adapted to make them the right recording plates. The team consists of seven journalists and technicians. Eider Madina and Josu Santesteban are in charge of directing the information and creating its content. The journalist Maialen Epaltza has until recently been the leading pushkin in the morning magazine. Larraitz Amadotz leads the afternoon magazine. Every evening it focuses on a specific theme: Monday sport, Tuesday municipal accounts, Wednesday culture, Thursday economy and politics, and Friday leisure. Xabier Sobrino is holding these special sessions. Around them, at the editing and control table are Iñaki Atxa and Haritz Sanz.