Survey finds crisis has eroded independence for Spanish journalists

Posted by Jennifer Lush on December 15, 2009 at 1:21 PM

The economic crisis is eroding the independence of Spanish journalists, reports Periodismo Digital, with some 57.5 per cent of directors in national media positions claiming they have less freedom now than in previous years.

Results from a survey carried out by the Press Association of Madrid (APM) as part of its Annual Report 2009 found that directors in Spanish print, radio and television media believed that they now have to play more favourably to the interests of advertisers and institutions as a direct consequence of the financial strain the industry is currently experiencing following the recession.

The report, which surveyed 1000 journalists across Spain, also revealed a general worsening of working conditions with 29.4 per cent reporting wage reductions and 16 per cent being laid off or affected by the 'Expediente de regulación de empleo' (ERE), a Spanish law which allows ailing companies to seek authorization to suspend or fire workers. As a result, job insecurity has become a major issue for many employees with 41.3 per cent of respondents reporting this as their main concern.

Problems over the independence of media in an age where many news organisations are struggling to make ends meet have similarly plagued the US newspaper industry. Early last month the Detroit Free Press caused a stir when it published a series of articles on Medicare's open enrollment period. The articles seemed above board and relevant given the debate on health care reform in the US, a particularly hot topic at the time- then it was made public that the articles were in fact written following a 'suggestion' made by a health insurance company, Humana, a key Free Press advertising client who then bought considerable ad space next to the published articles.

Paul Anger, editor and publisher of the Free Press has defended the paper's decision: "Editorial content needs to remain, and does remain, with the newsroom... But where we can find the connections that make sense for marketing purposes, that's something that we need to be open to," though the issue raises questions over ethical behaviour.

The need to draw income is clearly vital with some of the lowest circulation figures recorded ever this year. Nevertheless, as the Spanish survey reveals, many journalists feel threatened by this pressure to generate profit and to retain their jobs to the point where self-censoreship and favourable coverage become serious issues which could undermine the integrity of the practice of journalism altogether.

Source: Periodismo Digital