20th Century Spanish Journalism: From Dictatorship to Democracy

The Evolution of Spanish Journalism (20th Century)

Journalism in Spain runs parallel to the nation's literary and political history. The 20th century can be divided into three distinct stages:

Stage 1: Birth of Mass Journalism (1900–1936)

This period saw the birth of mass journalism coexisting with older forms of political journalism. Initially, newspapers were highly partisan:

• Newspapers depended organically on the political parties that funded and staffed the newsrooms.
• Circulation was initially low.

The rise of mass journalism significantly increased the circulation of newspapers. The goal was to provide popular classes access to culture, political, and economic life through widespread journalistic dissemination.

Stage 2: Civil War and Francoist Control (1936–1975)

With the outbreak of the Civil War (1936–1939), most newspapers were seized by both Nationalist and Republican governments, and their content was used strictly for propaganda purposes.

Since 1939, when Francisco Franco established his government, a new media system emerged, characterized by strict control:

Characteristics of the Francoist Media System

1. The press functioned as an extension of the single party (The Movement), supporting the state's dictatorial policies.
2. During the 1940s and 1950s, the regime intensified surveillance through three primary mechanisms:
   • Only those authorized by the regime received a journalist's professional card.
   • Policy-oriented slogans were sent from the Madrid government to all Spanish newspapers, which were required to comply.
   • The system of prior censorship was strictly enforced.

Stage 3: Journalism in Democratic Spain (1975–Present)

The democratic Constitution enshrined freedom of opinion, expression, and the press in its articles. However, successive democratic governments have not enacted a comprehensive media law, relying instead on constitutional articles and the practices of a democratic system.

With the definitive establishment of democracy in Spain, mass media flourished, characterized by:

• High-circulation national newspapers.
• The growth of private news agencies.

Private radio penetration became widespread, occupying a significant portion of the Spanish information sector due to its ability to report news almost instantly.

The most recent major phenomenon in democratic Spain is the concentration of media ownership in large conglomerates. This corporate media concentration has, arguably, weakened journalism, leading to a perceived decline in the quantity and talent of writers available.