Spain Bans Live Bullfights on State TV

Posted on Jan 9, 2011

Flickr / S. Lo

Spain’s state television network has banned the airing of live bullfighting, angering fans still reeling from prior restrictions against the “sport” in Catalonia. The network said the ban is designed to protect children from seeing violence in prime viewing hours. —JCL

The Guardian:

Spain’s state broadcaster, TVE, has banned live bullfighting from its schedule, angering matadors and bullfighting fans who are already smarting over a ban in the eastern region of Catalonia.

The broadcaster has decided bullfighting contravenes its code of conduct for programmes before Spain’s 10pm watershed hour, when children are no longer expected to be in front of the television.

Most bullfights start at 6pm or 7pm, and the TVE director general, Alberto Oliart, said that meant they fall into children’s viewing hours – when violence to animals cannot be shown.

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