Informe sobre l'estat de la comunicació 2007

Abstract

This paper deals with eight issues of particular relevance to the current state of communication. 1) Dilemmas confronting communication in Catalonia: journalists have the obligation of observing reality, and describing and interpreting it for the public truthfully, independently, accurately, responsibly, and ethically. Such observation is inevitably critical of and uncomfortable for the de facto powers. 2) Bewildering complexity: the discredit of politics is also a discredit to journalism since the former borderlines essential to democracy have become blurred. 3) Unprecedented competition: not only must the media deal with a socially complex environment but also with unprecedented competition. 4) A crisis of values: competition is played out among powerful multimedia conglomerates that give higher priority to their own interests than to the information needs of their readership and audiences. 5) Passion above rationality: under the pretext of making politics interesting, criteria are applied that can also affect the quality of the information. 6) The danger of the spectacular: by their very nature, the characteristics of spectacular events are passion, glitz, and what is more speed. 7) The threat of job insecurity: lack of job security not only erodes professional dignity, it also places journalists in a precarious position that hampers responsible and ethical fulfilment of professional duties. 8) What can journalists do?: we can recognize what is going on and be self-critical. We must keep in mind the democratic mandate to be of service to the public at large.