A report from the Generalitat casts doubt on the viability of TV3

TV3's financial situation has raised alarms within the Govern. According to the consolidated report of the CCMA, the public television channel has notably increased its dependence on public funds in the last fiscal year. The document, prepared within the Generalitat, reveals that TV3 and Catalunya Ràdio required an extraordinary injection of €94 million ($94 million) in 2024.

The report, presented by Joan Guirado in Vozpópuli, states that the Catalan public media received a total of €359.7 million ($359.7 million) in subsidies. This represents a 35% increase compared to the initial budget. This deviation is due to a significant drop in advertising revenue and an increase in personnel expenses, especially for executives.

TV3's economic viability is also affected by other circumstances. The CCMA, for example, has accumulated more than €108 million ($108 million) in outstanding tax contingencies. These stem from inspections by the Tax Agency for items such as VAT and Corporate Tax, which have been challenged in court.

One of the most controversial aspects of the report is related to the salaries of senior officials. According to the official documentation reviewed by the courts, several 3Cat executives receive compensation exceeding €120,000 ($120,000) per year. This amount surpasses the salary set for a Govern conseller, which is against current regulations.

The audit office already warned

The Audit Office of Catalonia, in an independent report published in March, confirmed these irregularities. The agency found that four executives were paid more than allowed, in addition to receiving variable bonuses for objectives that exceeded the legal 25%. The report also noted payments without contractual justification, allocations of triennial bonuses not provided for, and deficiencies in hiring practices.

In addition to salary issues, the Audit Office criticized the lack of transparency in the process of appointing the executive leadership. The audit revealed that qualifications were not clearly defined and that the names of the evaluation committee were not released. This violates the principles of publicity and objectivity required by law.

Thus, despite the high level of public funding enjoyed by TV3—the highest among Spanish regional broadcasters—official and judicial reports point to poor management. Added to this are investigations into possible embezzlement and misconduct affecting the entity's management. In fact, TV3 has already been formally reported to the Anti-Fraud Office by an anonymous citizen.