Spanish PM Rajoy Vetoes Catalan TV and Radio at White House

Bans access for TV3, and for RAC1 and Catalonia radios to cover his interview with Obama

Spanish Prime Minister Rajoy has left Catalan television and radio stations out of the press conference to take place at the White House after his meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama. Neither TV3 nor Catalonia Radio or RAC1 were part of the group of 10 media cherry-picked by the Spanish government, and has not allowed them access to the grounds. With the sovereignty debate being one of the issues on the international agenda in 2014, the Spanish president wanted to avoid any possible awkward questions.

The RAC1 radio correspondent Jordi Armenteras confirmed to Catalan digital news El Singular that the Spanish government " held an “opaque draw" to see who would get in. Mr. Armenteras said they first suggested the media correspondents who travel most with Mr. Rajoy would have access, but the initial criteria kept changing. “Although I knew I would end up not getting in, they kept looking for all sorts of excuses" said the correspondent.

The ten media chosen by the Spanish Prime Minister to attend the press conference were ABC, La Vanguardia, El País, Onda Cero, RNE, Cuatro, TVE, EFE, Antenta3 and COPE. The only Catalan media on the list was La Vanguardia, a clearly unionist newspaper. Among others left out was the radio station with most listeners, SER, part of the PRISA Group, and and La Sexta, with sympathies for the opposition socialists, along with broadcasters Telecinco and newspaper El Mundo.