CITIZEN report or how to return RTVE to its true shareholders: the citizens

In recent days there has been a lot of talk about a confidential document that circulates from office to office in Moncloa and which, under the name of the CITIZEN Report, aims to return the Corporation to its true shareholders: the citizens. But who is behind this document? What objectives do you propose around digital convergence, personnel, production and process improvement, procurement and contracts, and technology?

A multidisciplinary group of experts, without political or business interests and with a broad international vision in the fields of management, audiovisual sector, and legal have gotten to work in a few crucial days for the future of the RTVE Corporation to prepare a document that, under the name of CITIZEN Report, aims to put on the table some reflections on the RTVE model and, in general, the public media and, by extension, its relationship with the EFE Agency.

The 75 pages of this document are based on three pillars: honesty, management and transparency along with efficient management that, in the opinion of the authors of the report, is conspicuous today by its absence in the public corporation.

This rationalization, as defended in the report, can be addressed without weakening the fundamental role that Public Audiovisual Media (MAP) play in a modern democratic system. That citizens have rigorous and plural information, along with an offer of quality entertainment... and all this under a model of business efficiency under the premise of reducing the public deficit is feasible, say the authors of the report.

CITIZEN proposes a new model for RTVE, with the transformation and updating of its entire organization and processes. A model that would make RTVE the world leader in Spanish-speaking media, while at the same time turning it into a flexible and efficient organization, with a continuous program of improvement and cost reduction.

The objective of CITIZEN is to establish an organizational and governance framework for the RTVE Corporation that allows a commitment to reduce its expenses by up to 20% annually in a 4-year plan, sustainable in the following years. Following the model launched by the BBC in 2008. It proposes acting in areas such as organization based on digital convergence; staff; production and process improvement (greater digitalization); acquisitions and contracts; and technology.
Santiago Miralles, founding member of the CITIZEN Report, founder and former General Director of CCRTV Interactiva and professor at ESADE, analyzes in this interview with Panorama Audiovisual some of the key lines that mark this document that these days circulates from office to office in Moncloa.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFETx_j6Odg[/youtube]

CITIZEN, an acronym for…

Convergence: because Digital Convergence provides great synergies that must be fully exploited to optimize resources and staff. Thanks to digitalization and convergence, it is possible to redefine the public audiovisual sector and make it sustainable in the long term.
Innovate: in products and services, in management, in technology, always pursuing returns in terms of profitability of investments. RTVE can and should be an international leader in this field and obtain a return for it. RTVE must work online with the best Universities, capturing and generating value through projects with young university students who compete to develop and apply their knowledge; promoting the great talent that exists in Spain.

Transformation of the organization and management of RTVE: business rationality and maximum efficiency as basic axes. With a coherent Strategic Plan (RTVE 2012-2020), leadership, commitment and motivation and involvement of the organization, it is possible to carry out this new model for RTVE. Reduction of inefficiency costs, optimization of resources, variable remuneration based on objectives, change management typical of digital media, will be some of the tools that will be deployed to increase productivity and flexibility. In short, align RTVE with the best business practices.

Enter more: making everything possible profitable must be an obsession of the new team. Even without advertising, RTVE has many assets that it can add value both in Spain and in the international market. Its audiovisual production, progressively marketable in other markets, its real estate assets, its technical resources, its know-how, can and must be made profitable. Even your own CITIZEN transformation can be exported to other countries and similar organizations, through change support services. Also, increasing the sponsorship of products and content in a manner compatible with current legislation.

Get rid of the opaque: transparency in management as a basic pillar, reporting periodically, punctually and exhaustively to the Institutions and Citizens. It is necessary, more than ever, to imbue the entire RTVE organization with the Values ​​of good management and transparency, in order to reinforce the legitimacy and credibility of public media.

Education: public media must contribute to the training of young people and not so young people. RTVE's contribution in this area can be very useful to improve the level of our young people, at a time when the results of the educational system are not good. RTVE can and must offer its potential to contribute to its improvement. SPAIN as a global and prestigious brand: in collaboration with other Institutions, RTVE can contribute decisively to the image of a country with a rich culture, traditions, technological, innovative and business capacity.

normalization: contributing, with solid Sectoral and Technological knowledge and tangible successes in the new Management model, to the legislative initiatives that allow updating the regulatory framework of the Audiovisual Sector. This framework must adapt to the profound changes that the Sector is experiencing, and RTVE, with its experience in the new model, can provide advice to the legislator.