El Toro TV

El Toro TV is a Spanish television channel that began broadcasting in 2005 under the name Intereconomía Televisión. Its origins lie in Grupo Intereconomía’s acquisition of the broadcasting assets and licence associated with Expansión TV after that channel closed. The project was developed by businessman and former Catalan regional politician Julio Ariza as part of a broader media group that also included radio, print and digital operations. The channel initially concentrated on economic and financial information, reflecting the wider group’s business-media identity, but later expanded into general-interest television and political commentary. During its early years, Intereconomía Televisión experienced several changes in distribution. It initially used digital terrestrial television capacity associated with Veo Televisión, lost national reach in 2007 after a multiplex arrangement changed, and regained nationwide distribution in 2008 after Intereconomía Corporación acquired a minority stake in Sociedad Gestora de Televisión Net TV. Its carriage relationship with the Digital+ satellite platform also ended in 2008 after a dispute over contract renewal. By 2010, the group had moved much of its business and financial programming to a separate channel, Intereconomía Business, allowing the main channel to adopt a broader schedule encompassing news, politics, sport, entertainment, health and travel. The channel became particularly associated with political debate formats, including El gato al agua, and sports programming such as Punto Pelota. Although the group described its editorial identity as economically liberal, socially conservative and committed to what it called Western and traditional Spanish values, independent Spanish media have frequently described Intereconomía and El Toro TV as aligned with the far right or closely connected to Vox. The channel has rejected the extremist label and has presented itself as a conservative or right-wing broadcaster. Its relationship with Vox has included the appearance of party figures, programming produced to communicate Vox’s political message, and links between individuals involved in the broadcaster and the party’s media and organisational operations. The wider Intereconomía group entered a prolonged financial crisis from 2013. It accumulated losses, unpaid salaries and tax liabilities, while several prominent presenters left. The broadcaster lost its national TDT signal in February 2014 after a distribution partner cut transmission amid unpaid debts. A Supreme Court ruling later closed the national frequency on which it had operated, while the channel continued through limited regional terrestrial frequencies, paid platforms and internet streaming. Grupo Intereconomía filed for insolvency in March 2015. Following bankruptcy proceedings and a judicial sale, Intereconomía Televisión was acquired in December 2018 by Farnesio Ventures, S.L., owned by José Luis Hernández De Arce. The channel formally adopted the name El Toro TV on 14 March 2019. Under the new brand it retained a political-commentary orientation and continued to feature Julio Ariza as a prominent on-air contributor, although he was no longer the formal owner. In October 2020, Vox’s La España Viva occupied a Sunday prime-time slot on the channel and featured senior party figures. The former group administrator Julio Ariza remained central to later insolvency litigation. In 2023, Madrid commercial courts declared the insolvencies of Intereconomía Televisión and Intereconomía Corporación culpable, attributing liability to management conduct and ordering Ariza to cover deficits under two rulings whose combined amounts exceeded €15 million. El Toro TV currently has a more limited terrestrial footprint than the former national network and distributes content through regional TDT outlets, online streaming and selected pay-television services.

The channel was established in 2005 after Grupo Intereconomía acquired the broadcasting assets of Expansión TV. It launched as Intereconomía Televisión on digital terrestrial television, initially emphasizing economic and financial information. Julio Ariza, who led Grupo Intereconomía, intended the station to form part of a larger conservative media ecosystem alongside the group’s radio and publishing activities. Distribution changed repeatedly during the first years. A 2007 reassignment of capacity ended the channel’s initial national coverage, but the station recovered a national platform in 2008 after Intereconomía Corporación took a 25 percent stake in Sociedad Gestora de Televisión Net TV. A separate dispute with Digital+ over carriage ended with the channel leaving the satellite platform in 2008. In 2010, the group launched Intereconomía Business and transferred much of its financial programming there. The principal channel consequently became a general-interest broadcaster, adding political debate, news, entertainment, sport, health and travel content. Intereconomía’s political identity became increasingly prominent. Its programming included El gato al agua and Punto Pelota, while its owners described the group as economically liberal, socially conservative and committed to traditional Spanish and Christian values. Other media outlets characterized its editorial line as far-right or as an important media vehicle for Vox. The channel disputed such descriptions and maintained that it represented conservative right-wing views. Several controversies during this period concerned broadcast standards, political rhetoric and the station’s relationship with other media and political actors. The business entered a severe financial crisis from 2013. Important presenters departed, the company accumulated unpaid wages and tax debts, and the group sought pre-insolvency protection in February 2013. In February 2014, after debts led Net TV to cut the signal, Intereconomía Televisión ceased national TDT broadcasting. It resumed through regional licences in Madrid, the Balearic Islands and Sagunto, as well as paid television outlets. The national frequency was subsequently closed following a Supreme Court decision concerning the legality of several TDT concessions. Grupo Intereconomía filed for insolvency on 20 March 2015. The bankruptcy process separated the group’s assets: the television business was eventually acquired by Farnesio Ventures, S.L. in December 2018, while other assets were sold separately. On 14 March 2019, Intereconomía Televisión became El Toro TV. The renamed channel preserved much of the predecessor’s political-commentary character. Ariza continued to appear regularly, and Vox obtained a direct broadcast presence through La España Viva, launched in a Sunday prime-time slot in 2020. The group’s collapse later generated judicial consequences. In 2023, Madrid commercial courts ruled that the insolvencies of Intereconomía Televisión and Intereconomía Corporación were culpable. One ruling attributed an increased deficit to a delayed insolvency filing and another imposed liability relating to the wider corporation. The combined amounts ordered against Ariza exceeded €15 million. El Toro TV remains active, but its distribution is substantially narrower than the former national network, relying on limited regional TDT coverage, streaming and selected pay platforms.

1. 2023Insolvency rulings impose liability on Ariza

   Two Madrid commercial-court decisions find related Intereconomía insolvencies culpable and impose combined liability exceeding €15 million.

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2. 2020La España Viva begins broadcasting

   Vox launches a programme on El Toro TV featuring party leaders and direct political messaging.

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3. 2019Rebranded as El Toro TV

   Following the bankruptcy sale of the television business, Intereconomía Televisión adopts its current name on 14 March.

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4. 2015Grupo Intereconomía enters insolvency

   The parent media group files formal insolvency proceedings after a prolonged financial crisis.

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5. 2014National TDT broadcasting ends

   The channel loses its national signal after a distribution dispute linked to unpaid debts and continues on regional and alternative platforms.

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6. 2010Intereconomía Business launches

   The group creates a dedicated business channel, enabling the main station to move toward general-interest programming.

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7. 2008National reach restored

   Intereconomía regains national distribution after acquiring a 25 percent stake in Sociedad Gestora de Televisión Net TV.

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8. 2007National terrestrial coverage ends temporarily

   A change in the relevant digital-terrestrial arrangement removes the channel from its initial national distribution.

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9. 2005Intereconomía Televisión is founded

   Grupo Intereconomía acquires the assets associated with Expansión TV and launches a new channel initially focused on economic and financial broadcasting.

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A Spanish conservative and right-wing television outlet centered on political debate, news commentary and general-interest programming. Independent media have often characterized its editorial line as closely aligned with the far right and Vox, while the channel describes itself as right-wing rather than extremist.

• News and political commentaryTelevision programming2005

  The channel’s core output consists of news coverage, political discussion and opinion-led analysis. This programming gives El Toro TV its principal identity and has made it a platform for conservative and right-wing political perspectives, including frequent coverage of Vox and its positions.

• El gato al aguaPolitical debate programme

  A flagship political discussion format inherited from the Intereconomía era. It brought together presenters and commentators to debate Spanish political affairs and became one of the best-known programmes associated with the group’s editorial identity.

• Punto PelotaSports programme

  A sports discussion programme associated with Intereconomía Televisión. Its coverage and journalistic methods generated a notable dispute with FC Barcelona, which temporarily restricted the programme’s accredited access to club facilities.

• La España VivaPolitical programme2020

  A Vox programme placed in El Toro TV’s Sunday prime-time schedule from 2020. It was designed to communicate the party’s political message directly and included appearances by senior Vox politicians.

• 2020La España Viva

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  Vox used a recurring programme on El Toro TV to present party messaging and interviews with its leaders in a dedicated television format.

  Outcome. The programme established a direct and regular broadcast vehicle for Vox on the channel.

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• 2020Broadcast Vox’s La España VivaProduct launch

  Vox sought a regular television format for direct communication with its supporters and the wider public.

  What changed. The party launched La España Viva in El Toro TV’s Sunday prime-time schedule.

  Aftermath. The programme strengthened the channel’s role as a broadcaster closely associated by independent observers with Vox’s political communication.

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• 2019Rebrand as El Toro TVStrategy

  The television operation changed ownership through the insolvency process after the collapse of Grupo Intereconomía.

  What changed. Farnesio Ventures’ television business renamed Intereconomía Televisión as El Toro TV on 14 March 2019.

  Aftermath. The renamed channel continued a broadly similar conservative political-commentary format with a reduced distribution footprint.

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• 2010Separate business programming from the main channelStrategy

  Intereconomía wanted to preserve a dedicated outlet for economic and financial content while broadening its flagship television service.

  What changed. It launched Intereconomía Business and repositioned Intereconomía Televisión as a general-interest channel.

  Aftermath. The main channel expanded its political, sports, entertainment, health and travel schedule.

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• 2023Culpable insolvency rulingsControversy

  Courts found the insolvencies of Intereconomía Televisión and Intereconomía Corporación culpable and ordered former administrator Julio Ariza to cover separate deficits totaling more than €15 million.

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• 2012FC Barcelona press-access disputeControversy

  FC Barcelona temporarily barred Punto Pelota journalists from club facilities, citing alleged breaches of journalistic ethics related to an interview technique. The club sought a public apology before the restriction was lifted.

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• 2010García Serrano comments about Marina GeliControversy

  Commentator Eduardo García Serrano made misogynistic and insulting remarks about Catalan health minister Marina Geli during El gato al agua. He later apologized, and a Madrid court in 2014 convicted him and the channel of serious public defamation, awarding Geli €18,000.

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• 2010Advertising discrimination fineControversy

  The Spanish Ministry of Industry fined Intereconomía €100,000 over an advertisement that distinguished between supposedly normal people and gay people. The Audiencia Nacional later annulled the fine on appeal.

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• 2009Staged El Gran Wyoming videoControversy

  Intereconomía broadcast covert footage purporting to show El Intermedio presenter El Gran Wyoming mistreating an intern. La Sexta later disclosed that the footage had been staged as a sting intended to criticize Intereconomía’s verification and journalistic practices.

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• 2020Vox launches La España Viva on El Toro TV

  Vox introduced a Sunday prime-time programme on the channel to communicate the party’s political positions and feature its leading figures.

  CampaignProduct launch
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• 2019Intereconomía Televisión acquired and renamed El Toro TV

  Farnesio Ventures acquired the television operation through the bankruptcy process, and the channel adopted the El Toro TV name on 14 March 2019.

  M&ALeadership change
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• 2015Grupo Intereconomía files for insolvency

  The wider media group formally entered insolvency proceedings after years of financial deterioration, unpaid obligations and mounting debts.

  Bankruptcy
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• 2014Intereconomía Televisión loses national TDT distribution

  The channel stopped national digital-terrestrial broadcasting after a distribution partner cut its signal amid unpaid debts. It continued through regional frequencies and other platforms.

  OtherRegulation
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1. El Toro TV
2. El Toro TV official website