The state-financed TV channel is to broadcast a bullfight from Valladolid on September 5th with El Juli and Jose Maria Manzanares topping the bill.The previous socialist government had banned bullfights being shown on state TV effectively relegating it to the paid for Canal+ and cable TV.
The main problem for the previous government was timing because corridas are always staged in the evening, a time when children will be watching. In fact, having seen how late Spanish children are allowed to stay up at night, I reckon it would be near impossible to find a safe time slot when they were in bed.
The conservative government of Mariano Rajoy have not only allowed corridas to be shown but have also decided that tax on entrance tickets to corridas should stay at 8% and not rise to 21%. Both of these decisions will have angered animal rights activists who saw the total ban of bullfighting in Catalonia as a positive step forward.
The fact is that support for bullfighting is on the decline with many young Spaniards showing little interest. Many cash strapped councils have had to cancel annual bullfights from their fiestas. It is really only the major fiestas that stand a chance of surviving.
As far as I know, all TV sets are supplied with an on/off switch and have a channel selection button that allows you to chose what to watch. Because RTVE are broadcasting a corrida does not mean that you have to watch it.
You know freedom of choice works both ways; you can choose to watch or not to watch – it is your decision to make. By banning the broadcast of corridas, the socialist government effectively removed that choice.
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