Yesterday the Palau Robert hosted the party with which the celebration events of 45 years of EL PERIÓDICO, which launched its first printed edition on October 26, 1978. More than 400 guests attended the event, including numerous personalities from the world of politics, economics, business, civil society and culture. Also journalists, advertisers and authorities who, in one way or another, have been participants in this almost half century of journalism. Javier Moll, president of Prensa Ibérica, He explained to the audience the meaning that he and his wife, the vice president of the journalistic group, Arantza Sarasola, gave to their journey as editors, which began in 1978, the same year in which EL PERIÓDICO was born: “Our vocation is JOURNALISM with capital letters, and we understand it as a way of serving society.”
EL PERIÓDICO, four years after its incorporation into the Prensa Ibérica group, is today “an information platform that is expressed in Catalan and Spanish, on paper and digitally, with local and general information content but also with specialized products, such as in case of Assets and April, economic and cultural supplements that it shares with the rest of the Iberian Press media. “This is – he added – the style that we have injected into the new era of EL PERIÓDICO and with which We are convinced that we ensure its future. A democratic, progressive newspaper, a newspaper from Barcelona and Catalonia.”
The director, Albert Saez, pointed out another of the distinctive elements of the newspaper’s DNA: “We write from the point of view of the readers, not those in charge, this is the essence of EL PERIÓDICO.” In that sense, Sáez insisted that the newspaper has always had a clear premise: “Make something that is complicated simple so that it can be understood.” To celebrate this date, EL PERIÓDICO explained, “he has done what he apparently does not do every day.” “That is why we have prepared an exhibition that does not explain our history, nor the history that we have explained in this time, but rather looks at the future.” This is the exhibition that shows the 45 covers that the newspaper would like to publish in the next 45 years. Finally, Saez wanted to thank “the privilege of being part of a publishing company, Prensa Ibérica, which today is the information leader in Spain.”
The ceremony prior to the invitation was led by journalist Sergi Mas, who also directs EL PERIÓDICO’s current affairs podcast. The presenter led the event with his characteristic humorous touch, but without detracting from the importance of the celebration.
Rafael Jorba, secretary of the Editorial Committee of EL PERIÓDICO, He has been part of the newspaper for more than 15 years: he joined its fledgling editorial team at the age of 22, only to return as part of this advisory body. “For EL PERIÓDICO, political things were important, but the politics of things were more important,” recalled Jorba, who pointed out that “this has been and is EL PERIÓDICO’s formula.” In his speech, the secretary mentioned and remembered important figures for him and for the brand, such as firstly Antonio Franco, Josep Pernau, Álex Botines, Mateo Madridejos, Quim Regàs, Ángel Sánchez, Josep Maria Cadena and Emilio Pérez de Rozas, among many others. And he pointed out that the newspaper’s current commitment to the equal protagonism of women in information already had reference names “such as Tere Rubio, María Eugenia Ibañez and Margarita Rivière.”
A diary and a biography
The personalities who took to the stands to commemorate the 45-year anniversary recalled personal anecdotes intertwined with the history of the capital and congratulated each other on their commitment to the future. Among them, the mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, He acknowledged that he had been a reader of this newspaper since he was young: “I still remember reading the opinion columns of Manuel Vázquez Montalbán and Montserrat Roig when I was a child. I pinned them up in my room with thumbtacks.” As a reader, Collboni has stated that the newspaper “has always been ahead of the times” recalling that he was one of the first to opt for a Catalan edition.
At the end of the speech, Collboni – who celebrates 100 days as mayor of Barcelona – addressed the Moll family: “I thank you for the bravery and courage you have had for supporting EL PERIÓDICO without ever breaking your bond with the city of Barcelona. and Catalonia”.
The Minister of the Interior intervened on behalf of the Government Joan Ignasi Elena, who was also accompanied by the ‘Minister of Justice’ Gemma Ubasart and spoke with Salvador Illa, leader of the opposition. “He has always been up to the task,” said the ‘counsellor’ about the newspaper, before evaluating his commitment to positioning himself in social causes. “It has not been neutral in feminism, climate change, the fight for corruption, transparency and the Catalan language,” It has been recognized. In that sense, Elena has highlighted that the newspaper “has always respected difference and reproduced plurality.” A mission that the newspaper has carried out, in the words of the ‘conseller’, “with something very important: the feeling that it speaks to you.”
Talk about the past and the present, surrounded by the future
Four and a half decades explaining the “whats” and “whys” of an infinite number of events that began with the Constitution of 1978 and the Statute of 1979 and that have taken us to the present: the party commemorated the 45th anniversary of the header next October 26, full of history and social and cultural achievements, but focusing on this occasion around the ambitions of the future.
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Along the route of the Palau Robert gardens, and accompanying the celebration, the exhibition of the 45 covers that EL PERIÓDICO would like to be able to publish in the next 45 years of history was displayed. This exhibition can be visited until September 25 for free from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (on Sunday mornings only). “Josep Pla said, quite rightly, that It is more difficult to write short than to write long. You have to be much better informed and documented to be concise in a mobile alert than to ramble on in three heavy volumes. Therefore, behind each of these 45 covers is the intellectual work of the entire editorial team, full of specialists who understand reality with the aim of making it understandable,” noted Albert Sáez.
In the space, as usual, a ‘photocall’ had been reserved where the guests of the event passed, and a photo booth so that the attendees could get a souvenir with a cover of the 45 years of EL PERIÓDICO in which they were the protagonists. After dinner, the party said goodbye with a DJ who was in charge of livening up the celebration with a few hours of music to end the party.