The Valencian Media Corporation (CVMC) is a public media company serving the Valencia region. It was established in 2016 to operate the A Punt television and radio channels.
Media assets
Television: À Punt (HD)
Radio: À Punt FM
State Media Matrix Typology: Independent State-Funded and State-Managed (ISFM)
Ownership and governance
CVMC was established as a public service for radio and television broadcasting by Law No. 6 of 2016. It is owned by the Generalitat (Valencia’s autonomous government).
The Valencia regional government plans to introduce a new law regarding CVMC that would merge CVMC and SAMC into a new entity known as the Audiovisual Corporation of the Valencian Community (CACVSA).
The newly formed entity will function as a publicly traded company under the control of the Generalitat’s presidency. It will be overseen by an eight-member board of directors appointed by Parliament (seven members) and the Valencian Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FVMP). Both the Popular Party (PP) and Vox party, currently in power in Valencia, will have control over the board, raising concerns about the company’s independence. As of now, civil society, experts, and the broadcaster’s staff have the right to appoint their own representatives to the governing body of the CVMC.
Source of funding & budget
The Valencia region government’s budget is CVMC’s main source of funding. According to the law, CVMC receives funding equalling 0.3% to 0.6% of the Valencia regional government’s overall budget.
In October 2023, the Valencia government approved the region’s budget for 2024. CVMC received the same amount as in 2023, namely €84m, of which €73.2m was earmarked for Societat Anònima de Mitjans de Comunicació (SAMC). This entity manages the À Punt broadcasters through which most staff are paid for their work. In 2022, the CVMC’s budget decreased by 1.65% to €66.9m.
CVMC also generates funding from advertising sales, which reached a new high of over €3m in 2023.
Editorial independence
There is no evidence of editorial interference by the regional government at CVMC. On the contrary, various experts say that CVMC has proved to be editorially independent so far. This is due in large part to the independence of the board that governs CVMC’s activity.
Since 2023, the regional government has increased its efforts to influence CVMC. The Popular Party, with the support of the right-wing Vox party, has been criticized for appointing political commissioners in A Punt to control public broadcasters, censor the information they provide, and restrict their independence. The attacks on CVMC began after Carlos Mazon was elected president of the Valencia region in the 2023 local elections.
In spring 2024, the government in Valencia announced plans to introduce legal provisions that independent experts estimate will give politicians significant control over the broadcaster’s editorial decision-making. (For more information, refer to the Control of Governing Structures and Ownership section above).
The law establishing CVMC and an internal regulatory statute ensure the broadcaster’s editorial independence.
CVMC has a Citizens’ Council that serves as the broadcaster’s programming and content advisory board. The council aids CVMC’s Governing Council and general management in assessing the corporation’s programming strategies and services and communicates audience feedback to the station’s management. The Council welcomes complaints, suggestions, and proposals from the audience.
August 2024