The Audience Ombudsman of Spain's public broadcaster RTVE received 111 complaints from viewers about TVE news coverage of Pope Leo XIV's visit to Spain, one of the top issues flagged to the office during the second quarter of the year.
Viewers who complained said the scale of the coverage was excessive for a secular, non-denominational state. In total, the Ombudsman received more than 200 communications tied to the papal visit, and noted that simulcast broadcasts of the pontiff's events forced changes to regular programming, including the occasional absence of the Telediario news bulletin.
The Ombudsman's report acknowledged the undeniable relevance and exceptional nature of the visit, but argued that RTVE should look for alternative ways to cover events of this kind without dropping other relevant news of the day. The Ombudsman raised this concern with both the Directorate of News and the Directorate of Programming, with the stated goal of balancing coverage of extraordinary events against maintaining a plural and complete news offering, particularly when a special broadcast affects other public-service content.
Other programming complaints
The Pope's visit was not the only RTVE programming issue that upset viewers during the quarter. Holy Week broadcasts of numerous processions drew 52 complaints, while the series "Valle Salvaje" and "La Promesa" received around 60 complaints over schedule changes or absences caused by coverage of the papal trip and the football World Cup.
There was also criticism over other shows running late. "MasterChef," for example, drew 33 complaints for starting too late and finishing in the early hours of the morning. The report also noted that some viewers questioned the presence of Ofelia and Paz Vega on "MasterChef" and complained of behavior they considered disrespectful.
Complaints over news programs
Current affairs programs "Mañaneros 360," "Malas lenguas," "Directo al grano" and "La Hora de La 1" together drew around 30 complaints over repeated use of images or breaking-news alerts and alleged lack of neutrality.
Overall, the Ombudsman received 4,113 communications during the second quarter, of which it processed 3,826. TVE accounted for 79% of complaints, followed by RTVE.es with 14%, RNE with 4%, and RTVE as a whole with 3%.
