A few years ago I was addicted Millennium; If it doesn’t seem familiar, I’ll tell you that it was, according to the TVE website, a space for “debate, analysis and reflection on current issues of human interest”. They didn’t use augmented reality or spectacular graphics; There were four people talking about issues raised by its director and presenter Ramón Colom. Throughout their more than one hundred and fifty broadcasts, available on RTVE Play – God bless them – they talked about everything: about God, algorithms or laughter. Always calmly and knowledgeably, because every week experts in the field came, one, not all, as usual. I waited for him until one day he didn’t come back in the early hours of the 2nd. I asked via tweet and they replied that it was pending renewal. It may seem like a small effort, but I’m not one to mobilize. My most vindictive act consisted of writing to Miko to complain about the disappearance of one of her—priorities—frozen truffles and chocolate cones; In my defense I will say that then protesting had more merit, you had to worry about writing a letter, buying an envelope and a stamp and looking for a mailbox. When being indignant requires so much bureaucracy, the irritation passes sooner.
This French farewell is common on all broadcasters. With series they tend to be a little more respectful and a sad press release warns of their cancellation, but many programs simply remain in limbo.
Every season, I fear that some of these cultural and outreach programs that have been around for so long that we take them for granted will disappear due to some budget adjustment approved for their low ratings. If we celebrate TVE’s good data, why wouldn’t anyone think of asking them for La 2, that TV that once proudly announced itself “for a huge minority”? They will say that I put the bandage before the wound, but the combination of the search for profitability and immediacy scares me as much as superbugs.
That’s why I was extremely happy with the mobilization that at the time led to the cancellation of the The brain hunter. I found that after programs that are almost undetectable by audiometers there are loyal viewers. And that’s why I celebrated Ondas a lot Page two. I am much less interested in being soured by the controversy over a literary prize than in being happy that a space as careful, pleasant, stimulating and necessary as the one La 2 dedicates to books is valued. Long live essential programs for a (not so) huge minority.
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