In the Catalan TV3 chain worked for seven years with Monica Terribas. There are personal and professional evolutions that are not understood. And I do not say it for her. The interview is by Xavier Rius for E-Noticies.
– I have been told that you are leaving Catalonia?
– Yes, I have decided to leave the land of my parents and my grandparents because I feel very uncomfortable here today.
– But for political reasons?
– Of course, exclusively. I do not want the part of my regional taxes used to continue financing coup operations and for cowards to live like God in Belgium.
– I did not see the program, but I was also told that the other day you messed it up in Espejo Público, Susana Griso’s program on Antena 3.
– They asked me about the prosecution of the directors of TV3 and Catalunya Ràdio and I said that I was happy but that I expected more prosecutions, and after asking for an example I gave the one of Monica Terribas.
– Asking for the prosecution of Mónica Terribas is not very heavy? You have worked with her.
– Yes, for seven years in “La Nit al Dia” and I experienced very unpleasant things: the repeated interviews with “historians” who argue that from Columbus to Santa Teresa de Jesus and going through Cervantes were Catalans. Friendly interviews with members of Terra Lliure with killed people in their shoulders. Privileged treatment to Otegui with whom Terribas and part of her team later went to have drinks, while with Rosa Diez, for example, she almost did not talk. I remember that one day Mònica asked me to speak with a friend of mine of Tolerance and ask her to bring to the program the sister of Joseba Pagazaurtundua. Maite, who knew the program, never wanted to go. It is the price of moving yourself according to the separatist ideology and not admitting that a public television should be plural.
– Griso defended her.
– I suppose Griso thought “star dog does not bite star dog”. But she said something very serious to me: “in a public media outlet a host either obeys or is replaced”; this is logical in a private television but in the public ones?
– Beyond that: what happened to Mònica Terribas? Was she a good professional?
– What happened to her is that her father was already a friend of Pujol, so she, I think, believes that she is “building a homeland”.
– I remember that, in the presentation of Sergi Fidalgo’s book about TV3, you said that there was 80% of TV3 workers in favor of the proces.
– Yes, because since the creation of TV3 in 1983 there was already a staff, especially linked to Convergencia, as high and medium positions; little by little the range was widened and the moment of maximum penetration was with the tripartite, where ERC hit the jackpot. Since the very time I have been not there – I went out the year 2013 thanks to an ERE – many more have entered, especially young people related to the regime.
– The remaining 20% is silent.
– Yes, most are from my generation and have been displaced to the online section where they have no margin for anything, not even to comment on how things are done.
– It’s very cold outside?
– A lot, yes; most journalists work in an absolute precariousness and on TV the journalists are well paid, but only in exchange for not disagreeing.
– Would there be a proces without TV3?
– Evidently it has been an indispensable tool to shape this idea of a country that wants to be independent and the droplet of each day, especially falling on the inland regions, has led to the creation of about two million people believing in a clown like Puigdemont or a supremacist like Torra. The aggressions to civil guards in the villages for me were unthinkable in my little country of the poet of Vallès. I see hate and I think TV3 has a great responsibility in the issue.
– I still remember that banner with the slogan “Democracy” in the Sant Joan Despí studios.
– We should distinguish between democracy and despising the law which is what they have been doing in the Generalitat and TV3.
– The proces was about democracy or independence?
– The proces has served to hide the 3% and trials like the Palau or Mr. Pujol’s traps. As it happened in the case Banca Catalana everything is sold as an attack against the Catalans, just continue pulling the thread and we arrive at the current situation where when the CDRs act they do it as an act of “democracy”, but when we declare ourselves to be constitutionalists this is fascism.
– Then why do they assume the language of the proces?
– The Stockholm Syndrome works miracles and full stomachs see everything in the color the owner wants.
– Why did you leave TV3?
– I entered in 1985 and after five years as a TV3 correspondent in Andalusia, this was my happiest time because I was a thousand kilometers away from the center of power. Upon my return the discrepancies began. I remember that a colleague whom everyone called “the patriot” told me once and a thousand times “the one who works on TV3 already knows what there is; if you do not like it just leave”. He came from Palau’s press office. Years passed and every time it was more unbearable for me; I took advantage of an ERE although I accepted it with 58 years and therefore I lost a lot of money, but in the end it was “the bag or your life”.
– Is there a TV with almost 2,000 workers?
– It is true, with this number of working staff neither the producers are understood nor, for example, the contracting of services by the companies of Jaume Roures – he also worked there – and he took advantage of it very well to later be rolling on the dollar.
– Why do they resort to production companies with a staff of 2,000? Toni Soler, Buenafuente…
– Look Mr. Rius, it is more than seven years -even before leaving from there- that I do not see TV3; I never saw the FAQS, but I’m sure there is someone smart behind it.
– For author programs could be, but to make a FAQS is there a need for a production company?
– The proces has fed many people and if I do not have a space for you then I contract with your producer…
– I remember that La Vanguardia published that the average salary of the chain was 62,000 euros. It’s a lot of money to be the average salary.
– I do not know if it is very exaggerated. When I left, a bare editor like me, but with several triennials, charged 2,200 euros for 15 and a half pays, I am telling you by heart but the editors were the second category from the top in the house. Many people work there with low salaries.
– If you were a TV3 director what would you do?
– Impossible, I never would be for what there is in there, for my profile and maybe also because I think that I am not qualified for a job of such responsibility. What I liked was making videos, without censorship.
– Vicent Sanchis has put all the meat in the spit?
– I have the worst opinion about this subject, whom I have known since he was in the Observer. Always in the ‘mamella’ [breast] of the ‘convergentes’.
– Does TV3 have a solution?
– I am very pessimistic.
– Just to review the profiles on Twitter of some journalists of the CCMA and Wow!
– Those who are there charge a big amount of money and do not get wet even under a deluge. It is very practical.
– Let me ask a question in Peruvian: “When was journalism screwed up in Catalunya?”
– When Pujol began to say that of “això no toca“.
– And TV3?
– When the jaw of the criminal Pujol multiplied. Alleged delinquent, at the moment. Or confessed criminal.
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