The government left out of Radio Nacional some 500 employees, who had contracts until the end of 2023, as part of the adjustment plan faced by the administration of the radical Javier Monte, until the privatization proposed by President Javier Milei in the omnibus bill is resolved.
Monte's new administration decided to maintain some 700 permanent employee positions and just under 100 contracts in the 50 stations of Radio Nacional, in order to face emergency programming during the summer, which is likely to continue throughout the year.
That led to the lifting of most of the programs that came from the administration headed by Rosario Lufrano, some of which had more than five columnists hired to go on the air with topics ranging from politics and economics, to gastronomy and foreign relations.
"The programming is maintained very well with the people who remain, with the historical employees of the radio station, who have a very great commitment to each of the stations throughout the country," a source close to the current management told Clarín.
However, the unions met with the authorities of Radio Nacional on Wednesday and asked that at least 150 contracts be renewed, of the 500 that were cancelled, especially to maintain their own programming in the 48 stations that Radio Nacional has in the interior of the country.
Some of the journalists whose contracts were not renewed last week are Víctor Hugo Morales, who hosted "Estación Piazzola"; Sandra Russo, who hosted "Calandrias"; and Lautaro Maislin, who during the week was in charge of "Rosca and Roll 937", on FM Nacional Rock.
Nor did they renew other contracts that expired on December 31, such as those of Oscar Gómez Castañón, Mex Urtizberea, Alejandro Apo and Jorge Dorio, among others. And that of Sandra Mihanovich, who started with her Soy Nacional cycle in the Macri administration of Ana Gerschenson and had celebrated the 300 programs in 2023, which was broadcast in duplex of AM 870 and FM Folklórica.
They also canceled the contracts of journalists who hosted the main programs of the week on Radio Nacional: Darío Villarruel, of "Pase lo que pase", on the first morning; Gisella Busaniche, from the next time block, until 12 noon, with "Ahí Vamos"; Federica Pais, with "Radio País", from 13 p.m. to 15 p.m.; Luisa Valmaggia, who was in charge from 17 p.m. to 19 p.m., "National Meeting"; and Horacio Embón, who closed the evening program with "Embón en cuerpo y alma".
In any case, there were particular situations, such as Embón, who continues to host the news program of TV Pública, which is part of the same company Radio and Television Argentina (RTA). And Jorge Halperín, who is now one of the hosts of "Cuentos del mediodía," since he is "staff by court order," says an asterisk of clarification in the programming of Radio Nacional.
Halperín worked for eight years at Radio Nacional, between 2007 and the end of 2015, when due to a change in programming his contract was not renewed. But he initiated a labor trial, sponsored by lawyer Leandro Recalde - brother of Camporista Senator Mariano Recalde - with which he managed to get paid $9 million in April 2022 and $27.9 million in February of last year - in total, at current values they are more than $100 million - as a result of the trial by which he also managed to be reinstated to the state radio two years ago.
Resignations of the authorities
On December 10, almost all the authorities of the state-owned company Radio and Television Argentina (RTA), who had been appointed by Alberto Fernández, resigned, such as its president Rosario Lufrano, the vice president Osvaldo Santoro and the executive directors of TV Pública, Claudio Martínez, and Radio Nacional, Alejandro Pont Lezica.
The two directors who were at FM Nacional Rock and FM Nacional Folklórica, Mikki Lusardi and Mavi Díaz, respectively, also resigned.
But one of the problems that the current administration still has occurred with the director of Radio Nacional's FM Clásica, who "entrenched" herself in her position.
Andrea Merenzon first asked for a "medical folder" to justify her absence from her workplace. And then he took vacations, so as not to present his resignation, a situation in which he currently finds himself, sources from the public broadcaster assured Clarín.
"When Merenzon returns, she will have to resign," sources from the current administration who are very critical of the attitude of the official appointed by Lufrano four years ago added to Clarín.