Government pledges action on kids’ TV

24 September 2004
 
MADRID – The Socialist government on Friday pledged to take action against television programmes broadcast during children’s prime viewing time and which have been deemed inappropriate for the young.
 
“We are very concerned about many shows which are on the television during the time when they can be seen by thousands of children,” said Deputy Prime Minister María Teresa Fernández de la Vega.
 
Speaking at a press conference following the weekly cabinet meeting, De la Vega told reporters that the government would first meet with the Public Omsbudsman and the Children’s Omsbudsman before deciding how to solve the problem.
 
Two weeks ago, Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero called on broadcasters to take special care to ensure the quality of programmes shown during after-school hours and theatened government action if the airwaves are not cleaned up.
 
Authorities are particularly concerned about what in Spanish is known as “tele-basura” or trash television; chat shows which feature sexually dysfuncional individuals and couples or programmes highlighting the infidelities of the rich and famous.
 
Earlier this week Public Omsbudsman Enrique Múgica complained about the programming in his annual report to a mixed panel of senators and deputies and urged that the problem be addressed.
 
[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

 
Subject: Spanish news