Presentation for an 'actual window' on European Media Law course at Ghent University (UGent) in Belgium. The presentation expose the case of Catalan TV-show "Bestiari Il·lustrat" (Canal 33) and its cancellation after a controversial episode dedicated to the writer Jair Domínguez Bibliography: http://vimeo.com/51207132 2012-10-11 Dimiteix la directora de «Bestiari il·lustrat» per 'disparar' al rei http://www.regio7.cat/televisio/2012/10/11/dimiteix-directora-bestiari-illustrat-disparar-al-rei/212858.html 17.10.2012 - La Audiencia Nacional investiga los 'fusilamientos' en 'Bestiari il.lustrat' http://www.elperiodico.com/es/noticias/tele/audiencia-nacional-investiga-fusilamientos-bestiariillustrat-el33-2227015 12.11.2012- El CAC demana a TVC que potenciï les mesures de control arran de l'emissió del programa 'Bestiari il·lustrat' http://www.acn.cat/acn/692233/General/text/Bestiari-il.lustrat-Bibana-Ballbe-Jair-Dominguez-TVC-CAC.html 03.01.2013 -El fiscal cree que "Bestiari il-lustrat" pudo cometer un delito contra la Corona http://www.vertele.com/noticias/el-fiscal-cree-que-bestiari-il-lustrat-pudo-cometer-un-delito-contra-la-corona/ 21.01.2013 -Jair Domínguez declara sobre el Bestiari Il·lustrat: 'La jutgessa feia la mateixa cara que jo' http://www.vilaweb.cat/noticia/4075832/20130121/jair-dominguez-declara-bestiari-illustrat-jutgessa-feia-mateixa-cara-jo.html 22.02.2013 - Bibiana Ballbè emmarca la paròdia sobre el rei al "Bestiari Il·lustrat" en un espai d'humor que jugava amb l'estètica de Tarantino http://www.324.cat/noticia/2066721/societat/Bibiana-Ballbe-emmarca-la-parodia-sobre-el-rei-al-Bestiari-Illustrat-en-un-espai-dhumor-que-jugava-amb-lestetica-de-Tarantino El Bestiari Il·lustrat de Jair Domínguez ja no “existeix” a http://blogs.tv3.cat/bestiari Constitución Española: http://goo.gl/fmddpK Código Penal: http://goo.gl/OJIkDR

1. EUROPEAN MEDIA LAW
ACTUAL WINDOW by Oriol Salvador
JAIR DOMÍNGUEZ “shoot” THE KING OF SPAIN
(Bestiari Il·lustrat, Canal 33, 09/10/2012)

2. WHO IS WHO?

3. Bestiari Il·lustrat (Illustrated Bestiary)
- Every episode is, primarily, an interview to an artist.
- Innovative TV show for a minority audience.
- Three seasons (2010-2012/13) on Canal 33.
(secondary TV channel of Catalan broadcast company, TVC)

4. Jair Domínguez & Bibiana Ballbé

5. Joan Carlos I The King of Spain

6. CHRONOLOGY

7. 09.10.2012
– The episode is broadcasted

8. 11.10.2012
– First reactions
Resigned the director of "Bestiari Il·lustrat”
(Mai Balaguer) to 'shoot' the king - regio7.cat

9. 17.10.2012
– National Court
The National Court (Audiencia Nacional)
investigates the 'executions' in 'Bestiari Il·lustrat’
elperiodico.com

10. 12.11.2012
– Self-regulation
CAC asks TVC enhancing control measures following
the broadcast 'Bestiari I·lustrat’ - acn.cat

11. 03.01.2013
– Crime against the Crown
The prosecutor believes that "Bestiari Il·lustrat" might
have committed a crime against the Crown – vertele.com

12. 21.01.2013
– J. Domínguez goes to Court
J. Dominguez denies despised figure of the King 'Bestiari Il·lustrat'
and argues that it was a "parody" (ACN) – vilaweb.cat

13. 22.02.2013
– Bibiana Ballbé goes to Court
B. Ballbé frames the parody of the king at "Bestiari Il·lustrat" in a
humoristic scene playing with the aesthetics of Tarantino – 324.cat

14. 03.2013 - …
??????????

15. CONSTITUCIÓN ESPAÑOLA
SPANISH CONSTITUTION

16. Spanish Constitution, 1978
Article 20 [Specific Freedoms, Restrictions]
(1) The following rights are recognized and protected:
a) To express and disseminate thoughts freely through words,
writing, or any other means of reproduction.
b) Literary, artistic, scientific, and technical production, and
creation.
(…) (2) The exercise of these rights cannot be restricted through any
type of prior censorship.
(…) (4) These liberties find their limitation in the respect for the rights
recognized in this Title, in the precepts of the laws which develop it
and, especially, in the right to honor, privacy, personal identity, and
protection of youth and childhood. (…)

17. Spanish Constitution, 1978
Title II The Crown
Article 56 [Head of State]
(1) The King is the Head of State, the symbol of its unity and
permanence. He arbitrates and moderates the regular
functioning of the institutions, assumes the highest
representation of the Spanish State in international relations,
especially with the nations of its historical community, and
exercises the functions expressly attributed to him by the
Constitution and the laws. (…)
(3) The person of the King is inviolable and is not subject to
responsibility. His acts shall always be in the manner established
in Article 64 and shall lack validity without that countersignature
(…)

18. CÓDIGO PENAL
CRIMINAL CODE

19. Criminal Code, 1995
CHAPTER II - On felonies against the Crown
Article 485
1. Whoever kills the King, or any of his ascendants or
descendants, the Queen consort or the Queen’s Consort, the
Regent or any member of the Regency, or the Heir to the Crown,
shall be punished with a sentence of imprisonment from
twenty a twenty- five years.
2. Attempt to commit the same felony shall be punished with
the penalty lower by one degree. (…)

20. Criminal Code, 1995
CHAPTER II - On felonies against the Crown
Article 490
3. Whoever commits slander or defamation against the King (…)
shall be punished with a sentence of imprisonment of six months
to two years if the slander or defamation are serious and with that
of a fine of six to twelve months if no.
Article 491
1. Slander and defamations against any of the persons mentioned
in the preceding Article, and outside the cases foreseen therein,
shall be punished with the penalty of a fine from 4 to 20 months.

21. DISCUSSION (?)

22. My opinion
Ø This is a matter of freedom of expression.
Ø The shot itself is just an anecdote within a story.
Taken away from the it, can be misunderstood.
Ø Bestiari Il·lustrat was a TV show targeted to a minority
audience that understands, within a context, opinions
expressed by interviewers such as J. Domínguez.
Ø This happened within a context of discredit on Spanish
monarchy and political tension Catalonia-Spain.

23. Your opinion?
Ø Freedom of expression
or felonies against the Crown?
Ø What would happen… in your country?
Ø Questions? Comments?

24. DANK U WEL!