{{Infobox television channel | name = La 2 Cat | logo = La 2 Catalunya 2026.svg | logo_size = 125px | logo_caption = | logo_alt = | image = | launch_date = {{Start date and age|2025|10|13|df=y}} | closed_date = | picture_format = 1080i HDTV | network = {{lang|es|Televisión Española|i=no}} (TVE) | owner = {{lang|es|Radiotelevisión Española|i=no}} (RTVE) | country = Spain | language = Catalan | area = Catalonia<br>Andorra | headquarters = RTVE Catalunya<br>Sant Cugat del Vallès (Barcelona), Catalonia | former_names = | replaced = | replaced_by = | sister_channels = La 1<br/>La 2<br/>Clan<br/>24h<br/>Teledeporte | website = | terr_serv_1 = Digital terrestrial television | terr_chan_1 = Catalonia: Depends on each province | sat_radio_serv_1 = | sat_radio_chan_1 = | online_serv_1 = | online_chan_1 = }}
'''La 2 Cat''' is the current Catalan-language regional variation of Spanish free-to-air television channel La 2 in Catalonia. It started broadcasting on 13 October 2025, and became fully operational by late October of the same year. It is owned by {{lang|es|Radiotelevisión Española|i=no}} (RTVE) and is produced in its production center in Sant Cugat del Vallès. It currently occupies most of the broadcast of La 2 in Catalonia, replacing most, but not all, the national programming in Spanish, but the intention is that it will soon have its own frequency and that both channels will be independent.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=El canal en català de RTVE començarà també en castellà i encara no té nom ni programació|url=https://www.vilaweb.cat/noticies/rtve-2cat-catala-tambe-castella-nom/|access-date=2025-04-07|language=ca|publisher=Vilaweb}}</ref>
La 2 Cat's first director is {{ill|Oriol Nolis|es}}, who was director of RTVE Catalunya between 2021 and 2023,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Es dirà 2CAT i començarà a emetre per la Diada: els detalls del nou canal de RTVE en català|url=https://elmondelatele.cat/audiovisual/es-dira-2cat-comencara-emetre-diada-detalls-nou-canal-de-rtve-en-catala_2099613_102.html|date=2025-03-31|access-date=2025-03-31|language=ca|publisher=El món de la tele}}</ref> and the director of content is {{ill|Laura Folguera Ortega|ca|lt=Laura Folguera}}, who was the director of La 2.<ref>{{Cite web|title=El nuevo canal en catalán de TVE se llamará 2Cat y empezará a emitir aprovechando la Diada|url=https://elpais.com/espana/catalunya/2025-03-31/el-canal-en-catalan-de-tve-iniciara-sus-emisiones-en-pruebas-en-torno-al-11-de-septiembre.html|date=2025-03-31|access-date=2025-03-31|language=es|first=Bernat|last=Coll|publisher=El País}}</ref>
== History == === {{lang|ca|El canalet}} === In May 1988, {{ill|Lluís Prenafeta|es}}, Secretary-General of the Presidency of the Generalitat de Catalunya, announced with the electoral promise of CiU the creation of the second channel of {{lang|ca|Televisió de Catalunya|i=no}}, Canal 33 (initially named TV4).<ref name="promesaTV4">{{Cite news|title=TV4 pot començar a emetre al gener |publisher=Avui |access-date=29 June 2025 |date=6 May 1988 |page=8 |url=https://pandora.girona.cat/viewer.vm?id=0001024275&page=8&search=&lang=ca&view=hemeroteca}}</ref> On the other hand, in June that same year, {{ill|Jaume Sobrequés|es}}, in charge of the media relations of PSC, demanded {{lang|es|Televisión Española|i=no}} (TVE) the creation of a channel entirely in Catalan, since the sports broadcasts on TVE2 made most of its Catalan-language regional variation programming (including {{lang|ca|{{ill|L'informatiu|ca}}}}) off the air or simply changed their timeslot,<ref name="peticioTVE">{{Cite news|title=El PSC demana que TVE posi en marxa un canal català des de Sant Cugat |publisher=Diari de Girona |access-date=29 June 2025 |date=17 June 1988 |page=39 |url=https://pandora.girona.cat/viewer.vm?id=0001598603&page=39&search=&lang=ca&view=hemeroteca}}</ref> which would lead to the firing of {{ill|Rafael Jorba|es}}, TVE news director at RTVE Catalunya, who was replaced by Enric Lloveras.<ref name="dimisio">{{Cite news|title=El bisbalenc Enric Lloveras serà el cap d'informatius de Sant Cugat |publisher=El Punt |access-date=29 June 2025 |date=9 July 1988 |page=41 |url=https://pandora.girona.cat/viewer.vm?id=0002440824&page=41&search=&lang=ca&view=hemeroteca}}</ref>
In mid-August 1988, Pilar Miró, Director-General of RTVE, approved the project and fixed the launch date as between that year's National Day of Catalonia in September and October, with initial coverage of 60% of the territory<ref name="aprovacio">{{Cite news|title=El nou canal de TVE a Catalunya s'inaugurarà a l'octubre |publisher=El Punt |access-date=29 June 2025 |date=13 August 1988 |page=49 |url=https://pandora.girona.cat/viewer.vm?id=0002442156&page=49&search=&lang=ca&view=hemeroteca}}</ref> and a budget of over 2 billion pesetas.<ref name="programes">{{Cite news|title=TV2 Catalunya tindrà un pressupost de cap a dos mil milions de pessetes |publisher=Diari de Girona |access-date=29 June 2025 |date=23 August 1988 |page=31 |url=https://pandora.girona.cat/viewer.vm?id=0001695103&page=31&search=&lang=ca&view=hemeroteca}}</ref> Its airtime was projected to be between 19:00 and midnight<ref name="nous88" /> and would air programs that were already on air on the Catalan opt-outs, with {{lang|ca|L'informatiu}} (with a fixed slot at 21:00), {{lang|ca|135 escons}}, {{lang|ca|Debat 2}}, and {{lang|ca|Teledues}} (simulcast with TVE2's opt-out), as well as the premieres of ''Falcon Crest'' and {{lang|ca|Som una maravella}} by {{ill|Els Joglars|es}}.<ref name="programes" />
The project was expected to start on 17 October,<ref name="resumcanalet">{{Cite news|title= Sant Cugat o el desconcert permanent. |publisher=Diari de Barcelona |access-date=29 June 2025 |date=18 November 1988 |page=13 |url=https://ahcbdigital.bcn.cat/es/hemeroteca/visualizador/ahcb-d108250}}</ref> with the name of {{lang|ca|TVE2-Catalunya|i=no}}, which was usually nicknamed by locals as {{lang|ca|El canalet}} ("The Little Channel"),<ref name="resumcanalet"/> but the arrival of {{ill|Agustí Farré|es}}, director of TVE Catalunya, to {{lang|es|Radio Nacional de España|i=no}} (RNE),<ref name="nous88">{{Cite news|title=La pròxima temporada àudio-visual s'obre plena de moltes incògnites|publisher=Avui |access-date=29 June 2025 |date=2 September 1988 |page=37 |url=https://pandora.girona.cat/viewer.vm?id=0001028038&page=37&search=&lang=ca&view=hemeroteca}}</ref> caused the nomination of a successor and the start of Canal 33's test broadcasts on 10 September (which was interfered by TVE)<ref name="interferenciesC33">{{Cite news|title=Barrionuevo interfereix Canal 33 |publisher=Avui |access-date=29 June 2025 |date=11 September 1988 |page=10 |url=https://pandora.girona.cat/viewer.vm?id=0001028382&page=10&search=&lang=ca&view=hemeroteca}}</ref> causing its postponement to 9 January 1989,<ref name="abrilCanalet">{{Cite news|title=TVE-Catalunya ajorna 3 mesos la posada en marxa del nou canal |publisher=Avui |access-date=29 June 2025 |date=17 November 1988 |page=46 |url=https://pandora.girona.cat/viewer.vm?id=0000778250&page=46&search=&lang=ca&view=hemeroteca}}</ref> and later to April,<ref name="resumcanalet" /><ref name="abrilCanalet" /> given that it was necessary to distribute the frequencies between Canal 33 (already authorized), {{lang|ca|el canalet}} and the new private networks. With the firing of Miró in 1989, the project ended up in nothing and subsequently it was never launched.
=== Recovery of the project === Radiotelevisión Española (RTVE)'s administrative council unanimously approved the creation of La 2 Cat on 28 March 2025.<ref>{{Cite web|title=El nou canal íntegrament en català de RTVE s'anomenarà 2Cat|url=https://www.diaridetarragona.com/cultura/el-nou-canal-integrament-en-catala-de-rtve-s-anomenara-2cat-CN23489391|access-date=2025-03-31|language=es|publisher=Diari de Tarragona}}</ref> Production is made at the RTVE production center in Sant Cugat del Vallès.<ref name=":0" /> In the days following the announcement of the channel's name, tensions arose between Corporació Catalana de Mitjans Audiovisuals (CCMA) and RTVE for the name, with a race to register names.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pugna entre RTVE i CCMA per registrar el nom del nou canal en català|url=https://www.segre.com/ca/televisio/250403/pugna-entre-rtve-i-ccma-per-registrar-el-nom-del-nou-canal-en-catal_782123.html|date=2025-04-03|access-date=2025-04-03|language=ca|publisher=Segre}}</ref> For this reason, days after the presentation of the project to the public, the doors were open to find another name for the channel.<ref name=":1" />
La 2 Cat started broadcasting on 13 October 2025,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title= El 2Cat ja té data definitiva d'estrena d'emissions|url= https://comunicacio21.cat/noticies/el-2cat-ja-te-data-definitiva-destrena-demissions/|date=2025-09-09|access-date=2025-09-10|language=ca-ES|first=Quim|last=Miró}}</ref> and became fully operational by late October of the same year.<ref>{{Cite web|title=El canal en catalán de TVE iniciará sus pruebas en torno al 11 de septiembre y se llamará 2CAT|url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/television/20250331/10534614/canal-catalan-tve-iniciara-emisiones-pruebas-torno-11-septiembre-agenciaslv20250331.html|date=2025-03-31|access-date=2025-03-31|language=es|publisher=La Vanguardia}}</ref> It began as a regional variation of La 2, occupying most of the broadcast of the channel in Catalonia, replacing most, but not all, the national programming in Spanish, but with the intention that it will soon have its own frequency and that both channels will be independent.
== Usage of Catalan == RTVE announced that La 2 Cat has as its priority goal the promotion of the Catalan language inside the Spanish public media system. However, initially La 2 Cat will not replace all of La 2's broadcast with Catalan-language programming, and at the time of its creation, no specific date has been set for it to become independent and achieve a 100% goal.<ref name="elpais20250629">[https://elpais.com/espana/catalunya/2025-06-29/el-presidente-de-rtve-aspira-a-que-la-programacion-de-la-2-sea-un-60-en-catalan-en-junio-de-2026.html ''El presidente de RTVE aspira a que la programación de La 2 sea un 60% en catalán en junio de 2026''], ''El País'', 29 June 2025.</ref><ref name="rtve20250331">[https://www.rtve.es/rtve/20250331/consell-dadministracio-rtve-aprova-llancament-del-canal-2cat/16514129.shtml Corporate announcement on the launch of 2Cat], RTVE, 31 March 2025.</ref><ref name="cac202504">Preliminary report on the linguistic project of 2Cat, Consell de l'Audiovisual de Catalunya, April 2025.</ref>
RTVE's administrative complex established a progressive implementation: * Before the end of 2025, at least 50% of the contents seen in La 2 would be by La 2 Cat in Catalan. * Before June 2026, this percentage will increase to a minimum of 60%.
The remaining 40–50% of La 2 Spanish-language programming, including documentaries, cultural, and divulgative programming, could be offered with Catalan subtitles, but it was not predicted that all of them will be dubbed.
Although RTVE sources have expressed the will that the channel will become independent at a mid-term, there is no formal compromise or calendar to achieve the 100% goal. Such question is evaluated by the {{ill|Catalan Audiovisual Council|es|Consejo del Audiovisual de Cataluña}} (CAC), who also assured continuity, budget and the exclusive use of Catalan in the channel.
== Programming == La 2 Cat revealed its initial weekday programming in July 2025:<ref>{{Cite web|title=RTVE ultima la parrilla de su nuevo canal en catalán, que solo emitirá en castellano 'Cifras y letras', 'Malas lenguas' y 'Saber y ganar'|url=https://www.eldiario.es/vertele/noticias/rtve-ultima-parrilla-nuevo-canal-catalan-emitira-castellano-cifras-letras-saber-ganar-malas-lenguas_1_12448809.html|date=2025-07-08|access-date=2025-07-10|language=es|publisher=verTele}}</ref>
* 8:00: {{lang|ca|{{ill|Cafè d'idees|ca}}}}, with Gemma Nierga. News and entertainment magazine.<ref>{{Cite web|title=RTVE Catalunya dóna la sorpresa ampliant l'aposta per 'Cafè d'idees' de Gemma Nierga|url=https://tveo.es/ca/noticies/rtve-catalunya-dona-sorpresa-ampliant-laposta-cafe-didees-gemma-nierga|date=2025-02-27|access-date=2025-07-10|language=ca|first=Xavi|last=Oller}}</ref> * 11:00: {{lang|ca|El segon cafè}}, with Cristina Villanueva. Current affairs and entertainment magazine. * 13:00: {{lang|ca|De cara a barraca}}, with Marc Martín. Magazine and sports discussion. * 14:00: {{lang|ca|{{ill|L'informatiu|ca}}}} ''1''. Newscast with Aina Galduf. * 15:05: Sports news.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=La 2 Cataluña de RTVE solo emitirá en castellano 'Malas Lenguas', 'Saber y ganar' y 'Cifras y letras'|url=https://www.20minutos.es/television/2-cataluna-rtve-solo-emitira-castellano-malas-lenguas-saber-ganar-cifras-letras-5729565/|date=2025-07-08|access-date=2025-07-10|language=es|publisher=20minutos}}</ref> * 16:15: {{lang|ca|Grans documentals}}. Documentary slot * 17:00: {{lang|ca|{{ill|L'altaveu|ca}}}} with {{ill|Danae Boronat|es}}. News and entertaniment magazine. * 19:45: {{lang|ca|El vespre}}, with Quim Barnola. News bulletin from TVE's 24 Horas channel. * 20:00: {{lang|ca|{{ill|L'informatiu|ca}}}} ''2''. Newscast with Quim Barnola. * 20:35: Sports news.<ref name=":2" /> * 22:00: Prime time programming
==See also== *Television in Catalonia
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Official website|https://www.rtve.es/play/la-2-cat/}} {{in lang|es}}
{{RTVE}} {{Spanish television stations}}
Category:RTVE Category:Television stations in Spain Category:Television channels and stations established in 2025 Category:Catalan-language television stations Category:2025 establishments in Spain