In an unexpected announcement yesterday, Pio Cabanillas, general director of public broadcaster Radio Television Espanola (RTVE), was appointed spokesperson of the recently re-elected government of Spanish president Jose Maria Aznar.

Cabanillas was recruited to RTVE in 1998 from his post as director of international relations at Grupo PRISA. He has worked to reduce the broadcasters' phenomenal debt, defending RTVE's controversial policy of accepting both public monies and private advertisements.

Last year he signed a much-lauded production accord with the then head of the Spanish Producers' Federation (FAPAE) Gerardo Herrero to invest some $18m (PTS3,000m) annually over three years in the production and acquisition of Spanish feature films. Cabanillas' successor at RTVE has yet to be named.

Also as a part of the government's new ministerial cabinet, Pilar del Castillo will replace Mariano Rajoy as the Minister of Education, Culture and Sports. Del Castillo worked as director of the Center for Sociological Research under the previous cabinet.