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Media revolution in Spain as readers search for new voices Media revolution in Spain as readers search for new voices
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To lose one top editor at a major Spanish newspaper may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose two looks like carelessness. But when Spain's three leading dailies each replace their editors in as many months, it's clear that something is afoot.To lose one top editor at a major Spanish newspaper may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose two looks like carelessness. But when Spain's three leading dailies each replace their editors in as many months, it's clear that something is afoot.
Many explain the changes in leadership at El País, El Mundo and La Vanguardia by pointing to the country's economic crisis, which has caused advertising revenue to shrink and circulations to drop. Others evoke a storyline familiar to newspapers the world over: the migration of readers from print to the internet.Many explain the changes in leadership at El País, El Mundo and La Vanguardia by pointing to the country's economic crisis, which has caused advertising revenue to shrink and circulations to drop. Others evoke a storyline familiar to newspapers the world over: the migration of readers from print to the internet.
But media analysts in Spain say there is another factor at play. Nearly 40 years after the country's transition to democracy, there have been more than 300 journalism startups. Staffed by a mix of veteran journalists laid off during the economic crisis and young journalists trying to gain a foothold in an industry where few are hiring, the startups tout themselves as willing to ask the questions that traditional Spanish media will not. But media analysts in Spain say there is another factor in play. Nearly 40 years after the country's transition to democracy, there have been more than 300 journalism startups. Staffed by a mix of veteran journalists laid off during the economic crisis and young journalists trying to gain a foothold in an industry where few are hiring, the startups tout themselves as willing to ask the questions that traditional Spanish media will not.
As Spain teetered on the brink of financial meltdown, Spaniards started demanding more accountability from their institutions, said Rafael Aníbal, a former journalist who now works in communications. "People went looking for sources of information that aren't directly related to power."As Spain teetered on the brink of financial meltdown, Spaniards started demanding more accountability from their institutions, said Rafael Aníbal, a former journalist who now works in communications. "People went looking for sources of information that aren't directly related to power."
In contrast, traditional media sought to weather the crisis by becoming more institutionalised. Aníbal pointed to the country's leading daily, El País, founded in the late 1970s, just months after the death of dictator Francisco Franco. Mired in debt, the paper's owner Prisa recently struck a deal that would earn it a reprieve from creditors but see 16% of its shares handed over to the company's bankers. In contrast, traditional media sought to weather the crisis by becoming more institutionalised. Aníbal pointed to the country's leading daily, El País, founded in the late 1970s, just months after the death of the dictator Francisco Franco. Mired in debt, the paper's owner, Prisa, recently struck a deal that would earn it a reprieve from creditors but see 16% of its shares handed over to the company's bankers.
The result, said former El País journalist Pere Rusiñol, is that it is now impossible to untangle the paper's coverage from its financial situation. "You can't have press freedom in a company that's bankrupt and belongs to the bank."The result, said former El País journalist Pere Rusiñol, is that it is now impossible to untangle the paper's coverage from its financial situation. "You can't have press freedom in a company that's bankrupt and belongs to the bank."
He cited a Spanish national court investigation into a Swiss bank account with ties to the Botín family, which runs Santander bank. "This was a news story that appeared in all the international papers. But El País didn't put it on the front page," said Rusiñol, who now works with the satirical magazine Mongolia and the monthly Alternativas Económicas. "There's a lot of evidence to show that it's not possible to do any kind of journalism – or anything even minimally worthy of the name – in traditional media."He cited a Spanish national court investigation into a Swiss bank account with ties to the Botín family, which runs Santander bank. "This was a news story that appeared in all the international papers. But El País didn't put it on the front page," said Rusiñol, who now works with the satirical magazine Mongolia and the monthly Alternativas Económicas. "There's a lot of evidence to show that it's not possible to do any kind of journalism – or anything even minimally worthy of the name – in traditional media."
When El Mundo's Pedro J Ramírez was ousted this year, the editor played up the notion that political forces had exerted considerable influence on the newsroom. In his final editorial as director of the paper he had founded 25 years earlier, he linked his fate to the paper's reporting on the alleged secret payments that had the prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, fending off calls for resignation. "This power has converted El Mundo into an outcast and the big companies of the Ibex – with a few honourable exceptions – acted accordingly." Ramírez remains with the paper as a columnist. When El Mundo's Pedro J Ramírez was ousted this year, the editor played up the notion that political forces had exerted considerable influence on the newsroom. In his final editorial as director of the paper he had founded 25 years earlier, he linked his fate to the paper's reporting on the alleged secret payments that had the prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, fending off calls for resignation. "This power has converted El Mundo into an outcast and the big companies of the Ibex [stock market index] – with a few honourable exceptions – acted accordingly." Ramírez remains with the paper as a columnist.
Ramón Salaverría, author of several books on Spain's media landscape, cautioned against writing off traditional media in Spain just yet. Two of Spain's top online startups, the centre-right El Confidencial – now the country's most-read online daily – and the left-leaning eldiario.es get more than 5m hits a month and have "unquestionable influence", said Salaverría. But El País and El Mundo continue to be the papers of record in Spain, and attract audiences three times the size of even the most successful startups, he said.Ramón Salaverría, author of several books on Spain's media landscape, cautioned against writing off traditional media in Spain just yet. Two of Spain's top online startups, the centre-right El Confidencial – now the country's most-read online daily – and the left-leaning eldiario.es get more than 5m hits a month and have "unquestionable influence", said Salaverría. But El País and El Mundo continue to be the papers of record in Spain, and attract audiences three times the size of even the most successful startups, he said.
Startups say their focus has shifted to increasing audiences. People working for eight startups will take to the streets on 30 March to hand out a one-day newspaper, compiled with content from each of their media projects. The goal, according to the team behind the initiative, is to introduce Spaniards to media that are divorced from traditional power structures and institutions. Startups say their focus has shifted to increasing audiences. People working for eight startups will take to the streets on 30 March to hand out a one-day newspaper, compiled using content from each of their projects. The goal, according to the team behind the initiative, is to introduce Spaniards to media that are divorced from traditional power structures and institutions.
Reporters at El País were hesitant to speak on the record about pressures on the newsroom. But as one reporter said: "Everybody knows here that if you start working on a story about a bank, nobody is ever going to tell you that you shouldn't do it. They're going to tell you that you don't have enough to back the story, or that this story isn't what you think it is." Reporters at El País were hesitant to speak on the record about pressures on the newsroom. But as one reporter said, "Everybody knows here that if you start working on a story about a bank, nobody is ever going to tell you that you shouldn't do it. They're going to tell you that you don't have enough to back the story, or that this story isn't what you think it is."
Some of this reluctance is tied to newspapers' history, he said. "We were created to change this country, we helped to change it and then we ended up thinking that some of our obligation is to defend democracy and the system as well." Some of this reluctance was tied to newspapers' history, he said. "We were created to change this country, we helped to change it and then we ended up thinking that some of our obligation is to defend democracy and the system as well."
Javier Moreno, the outgoing editor at El País, denied any claims of influence over the newsroom. "I can honestly say I've never had pressure of any type from shareholders or advertisers."Javier Moreno, the outgoing editor at El País, denied any claims of influence over the newsroom. "I can honestly say I've never had pressure of any type from shareholders or advertisers."
His replacement, Antonio Caño, who will take over in May, bristled at the comparison between startups and traditional media. "We are a quality paper, we have to confirm things, we have to check stories before running. But we are going to cover corruption anywhere it happens."His replacement, Antonio Caño, who will take over in May, bristled at the comparison between startups and traditional media. "We are a quality paper, we have to confirm things, we have to check stories before running. But we are going to cover corruption anywhere it happens."
Caño emphasised that he had spent more than half of his 30-year reporting career as a foreign correspondent. "I'm not the classic profile of an editor of Spanish newspaper. Traditionally they have connections and friends. I don't have that kind of network. I'm new to this place."Caño emphasised that he had spent more than half of his 30-year reporting career as a foreign correspondent. "I'm not the classic profile of an editor of Spanish newspaper. Traditionally they have connections and friends. I don't have that kind of network. I'm new to this place."