TVE’s Leadership in times of change: innovation and management facing liberalization (1982-1989)

Abstract

This article analyzes the evolution of Televisión Española (TVE) since the arrival of the socialists to power in December 1982, in response to the impending arrival of private channels in 1989. Since 1956, TVE had maintained a privileged position due to its monopoly on television broadcasting in Spain. However, with the inevitable liberalization of the market, it had to incorporate new dynamics, forcing the public broadcaster to reinvent itself in various fields to maintain its competitiveness: programming strategy, organizational structure, and technical resources. This article shows how the leadership of José María Calviño, Pilar Miró, and Luis Solana worked along these lines. Through a review of newspaper, archival, and bibliographic sources, the research reveals how new programming formulas were introduced. Additionally, some structural changes are discussed, such as the reduction of managerial positions. Technical innovations are also highlighted, as the administration shifted from an analog system to becoming a computerized organization. Despite these changes, the end of the monopoly brought significant challenges for TVE, as it had to compete with new actors with more commercial approaches and more agile structures. This study concludes that, although TVE modernized during these years, internal and external political and economic tensions affected its ability to compete effectively, underscoring the inherent challenges of the coexistence between public and private media in a liberalized market.