Madrid premier threatens to close down regional television channel Telemadrid

Madrid premier Ignacio González on Tuesday threatened to close the loss-making publicly owned regional television company Telemadrid if his administration fails to push through a labor force adjustment plan (ERE) that aims to “considerably” reduce its workforce of 1,177.

“If we manage to carry out an ERE that allows us to maintain the service, we will outsource,” González told reporters. “If we can’t do so, we will have to think about closing it down.”

González said that the reform of the audiovisual law passed in April prohibits public administration from maintaining services that are loss-making.

The official was speaking after the management board of Telemadrid approved a cut in the company’s budget from 129 million euros this year to 84.5 million, with the regional administration to inject 71 million euros and the rest to come from advertising revenues, which, González said, had “dropped an enormous amount.”

At the start of this month, the regional government gave two consultants a mandate to draw up a report on an ERE. They have 30 days to submit the report.

González recently took over as premier from long-serving Esperanza Aguirre, who stepped down before her mandate was up, saying she needed to spend more time with her family.

Aguirre was in favor of privatizing Telemadrid or closing it down in the absence of a buyer. “But Ignacio González needs the television to build up his image,” ruling Popular Party sources said. “He needs Telemadrid to carry on functioning. Another thing would be taking an axe to it.”