The signal of Canal Sur Televisión has been interrupted again this Wednesday afternoon, for the second time so far today, in the context of the general strike called by UGT, CCOO and Sindicato de Inquilinas. After 18:00, the screen of the Andalusian public broadcaster has once again gone black, just as it already had earlier in the morning of this 11 November.
After nearly five hours of uninterrupted programming since approximately 13:20, after the first fade to black, the broadcast has once again been cut off at the end of the segment "La tarde aquí y ahora", presented by Juan y Medio, and just before the usual start of "Andalucía Directo".
Up to that point, Canal Sur Televisión’s programming had proceeded normally from midnight, until at around 08:20 on this 11 November it was abruptly interrupted during the news program "Despierta Andalucía", leaving the screen black and displaying the following notice: "The interruption of the broadcast is a consequence of the call for the general strike. We apologize for the inconvenience".
From 13:20 onward, the channel resumed broadcasts with the program "Mesa de Análisis", hosted by Teodoro León Gross, which began by addressing the repercussions of the 11N general strike in Andalusia.
Meanwhile, Canal Sur Radio and Radio Andalucía Información have kept their programming uninterrupted throughout the entire day of the work stoppage.
The minimum services set by resolution of the Department of Employment, Enterprise and Self-Employed Work, through the General Directorate of Labour, Safety and Health at Work, and published in the Official Gazette of the Regional Government of Andalusia (BOJA), establish that, for the radio and television media of Andalusian companies, "the production and broadcast of relevant information programming in reduced format will be guaranteed, with the staff strictly necessary".
Nevertheless, Canal Sur management has expressed its displeasure because, "despite the significant efforts made by the company, it has not been possible to reach an agreement with the strike committee regarding the alternative programming planned" for this 11 November.
Message from RTVA management
Sources from RTVA management have explained to Europa Press that, "since the start of the negotiations, the Management has maintained an attitude of dialogue and maximum flexibility, putting forward different proposals with the aim of reconciling the legitimate exercise of the right to strike with the provision of the essential public service that Canal Sur has been entrusted with, seeking to reduce to the minimum the consequences for the Andalusian public."
Those same sources have pointed out that, "over the course of the three meetings held with the strike committee", the last one taking place this past Tuesday, "the company has made a significant effort to bring positions closer, presenting different programming alternatives for both television and radio."
The Management of RTVA "regrets that, despite the efforts made and the willingness for understanding maintained throughout the process, it has not been possible to reach a solution that would allow reconciling both rights and minimizing the impact of the strike on the public service that Canal Sur provides to all Andalusians."
Finally, they have said that "in this process, the latest proposal presented by the Management had the backing of part of the trade union representation, although it was not possible to reach an agreement".
Reactions from PSOE-A, Adelante and Por Andalucía
Through the social network X, both PSOE-A and representatives of the parliamentary groups Adelante Andalucía and Por Andalucía have assessed during the day the monitoring of the strike by the Canal Sur workforce and the fact that the television broadcast has gone to black.
From the official PSOE of Andalucía account on X, it has been emphasized that Canal Sur workers have demonstrated "the professional dignity that the executives appointed by PP and Vox do not recognize."
Adelante Andalucía spokesperson José Ignacio García has circulated a screenshot of the moment the signal of the regional chain was cut and has stated his "pride in the workers of the RTVA".
In similar terms, the federal coordinator of Izquierda Unida (IU) and spokesperson for the parliamentary group Por Andalucía, Antonio Maíllo, has shown on the same network his "pride in the workers of Andalusian public television, who have cut the broadcast of Canal Sur due to the general strike" of 11N.
The IU leader has added as well: "There is no direction that can stop the dignity of the working class. Thank you!".
Background on blackouts in Canal Sur
This type of interruption is nothing new on Canal Sur Televisión. In December 2020, another signal outage already occurred due to a two-day strike called by the RTVA unions to demand guarantees about the future of high-quality public television, coinciding with the scheduled start of a special of "Andalucía Directo" dedicated to the extraordinary draw of the Christmas Lottery.
Months earlier, in that same year, the staff of Canal Sur Televisión had already gone to black on the broadcast on February 20, between 20:30 and 22:00, a time slot in which the broadcast of the Carnavals of Cádiz was scheduled, within the partial stoppages called by the Comité Intercentros in protest at their working conditions.