The Aragon Radio and Television Corporation (CARTV) is the public broadcasting company that serves the Aragon region. It comprises Radio Aragon and Aragon Television.
Media assets
Television: Aragón TV (HD), Aragón TV INT
Radio: Aragón Radio, Aragón Radio 2
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
CARTV was established through Law No. 8 of 1987, amended by Law No. 4 of 1996. It has the legal status of a state-owned corporation administratively subordinated to the Department of the Presidency of the Aragon region government.
The highest governing body at CARTV is the Board of Directors, which consists of 16 members. The Parliament of the Aragon region appoints 15 members, and the Advisory Council appoints the remaining one. The corporation’s Director General is appointed by the parliament upon recommendation by the Board of Directors.
Source of funding and budget
According to the company’s annual report, in 2021 and 2022, CARTV received a €50m state subsidy from the Aragon region government, constituting the entire broadcaster’s budget. In 2023, the company received a state subsidy of €50.8m, according to a budget document.
Most funds allocated to CARTV are channeled to Henneo-Heraldo de Aragon, a privately owned company that produces content for CARTV’s broadcasters. It was estimated that Henneo-Heraldo de Aragon absorbs 78% of CARTV’s budget.
Editorial independence
There was no evidence of systematic government editorial control over CARTV in the past. However, in recent years, we have observed a pattern of the People’s Party (PP) attacking CARTV, leading to strong criticism from the journalistic community.
In November 2023, the government, consisting of the Popular Party (PP), Vox, and the local Aragon party, approved an amendment to the CARTV law. This amendment removed the Advisory Council’s voting rights and eliminated the requirement for board directors to have journalism-related experience. These changes have resulted in greater control by the Aragon government over the CARTV.
Following these developments, we have moved CARTV from the Independent State Funded and State Managed Media (ISFM) category to the State-Controlled Media (SC) category in our State Media Matrix.
The regularly renewed Program Agreement signed by the Aragon government ensures CARTV’s editorial independence. The latest agreement specifically guarantees CARTV’s editorial independence. Nevertheless, as mentioned earlier, political pressures hinder the execution of the agreement.
The Advisory Board legally represents civil society’s involvement in CARTV. It consists of 16 members that the regional parliament appoints based on nominations from different NGOs, private companies, academic institutions, and CARTV staff. The board’s role is to provide feedback and suggestions to CARTV’s management to enhance the station’s programming.
August 2024