The article centers on rising tensions between Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's administration and the leadership of Prisa, a prominent Spanish media conglomerate. The conflict involves alleged attempts by the government to influence the appointment of Prisa's leadership.
A French publication, Le Point, reported a meeting between Spanish officials, including the Minister of Digital Transformation, and Vivendi executives (Vivendi holds significant shares in Prisa). The alleged aim was to pressure Vivendi to sell its Prisa shares to government-friendly shareholders, potentially leveraging Telefónica's advertising budget as leverage. The Spanish minister involved denied these claims.
Prisa's current chairman, Joseph Oughourlian, is resisting these alleged external pressures. He has consolidated his control within Prisa, including reshaping the board of directors and taking direct leadership of El PaÃs, a major newspaper under the Prisa umbrella. A proposed new television channel, supported by some Prisa executives close to the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party), was rejected by Oughourlian, leading to further internal conflict.
The government is reportedly seeking to build a coalition of friendly shareholders including:
Their combined stake, along with potential support from other investors, could challenge Oughourlian's control. A key date is the upcoming shareholder meeting in June.
Oughourlian points to Prisa's improved financial health and an ongoing refinancing agreement with American investors as evidence of his successful leadership.
The conflict highlights concerns about government influence over Spanish media and echoes historical anxieties about media control. The comparison of the situation to the Franco era by Oughourlian has further escalated the tensions.