Political power’s media capture strategies in Spain (2016–2021)

Abstract

This article analyses political power's media capture strategies in Spain by addressing the central government's and several regional governments' actions between 2016 and 2021. The policies implemented by parties from across the political spectrum are studied, with similar behaviours that continue to pursue or even reinforce strategies from previous eras being observed. This confirms the trait of strong government interventionism that is typical of Polarised Pluralist media systems. This article specifically takes an in-depth look at control over public media's governing bodies, the fragility of independent regulators, and opaqueness and indicators of instrumentalisation in the management of institutional advertising. The conclusions are of a propositional nature. Potential solutions to the forms of capture highlighted throughout the article are proposed. The legal reform of the General Audiovisual Communication Law—in progress at the time of writing—does not contemplate such solutions.