Broadcaster complains about potential changes to Spanish prime time

MEDIASET Spain, owner of TV channels Tele 5 and Cuatro, among others, have expressed their disagreement with the Popular Party’s (PP) proposal to end ‘prime time’ television hours at 11pm in order to allow changes in work and family life.

When questioned about the PP’s plans following a general meeting of Mediaset shareholders, Executive Director Paolo Vasile said that he does not appreciate “Soviet-type decision-making” which tries to tell people when they should eat or go to bed.

“Where is it written what is the correct time to eat, if everyone likes to eat at 9.30pm?” he added.

Mediaset is in favour of each network having the freedom to choose because “maybe some decide one thing, but I choose to do another.”

Javier Maroto, deputy secretary of the sector for the PP, has suggested that network operators bring prime time forward, and that “an agreement between all public and private broadcasters, as a matter of corporate responsibility” would be beneficial.