Público

Since I just finished doing my presentation on Spain's newspaper Público, I figured that would be an appropriate topic to blog about. Upon studying this newspaper, it was very difficult to take notice of the liberal attitude or youthful target audience due to the language barrier. It's hard to tell what phrases in Spanish may be perceived as opinionated, or biased, because they don't all directly translate into English. However, I realized I didn't have to read too much into the actual text to see what the newspaper was all about.

The paper itself is styled like a tabloid, which I found very interesting. In the states, seeing a publication like this is pretty much a big red flag for celebrity gossip and papa razzi. However, I realize it seems as though it is used for the appeal of a younger audience. The paper is very colorful, and the front page always has a glorified top story. It sort of reminds me of Time Magazine, the way it is formatted, except it's an actual newspaper.

The headlines are very blunt, all including subheadings that pretty much tell you exactly what the article is about in very few and simple words. Young people like that sort of stuff. Also, this paper seemed to be very "on-the-go" to me. Being an American, we're pretty much all about convenience, and finding the quickest way to do things, especially when it comes to getting information. At school I never really have the time to sit down and read a paper. I get all of my news online, I have a New York Times "widget" on my Mac Dashboard where I can get quick headlines and blurbs about what's going on, and that's usually all I need. However, I don't think I'd find it too troubling to grab Público before class everyday and glance it over. I like the way it is formatted and how youthful it is. It's a nice reminder that reading the news the old fashioned way doesn't always have to be boring.

Advertising in Ibiza

This past weekend, I, as well as a bunch of other SU abroad students, spent the weekend in the infamous Ibiza. It was quite a fun time and very tiring. While we were there, and when we weren't laying on the beach or dancing until 5 a.m. at one of the famous clubs, we got to take the time to really explore the island. It came quickly to my attention that this island seems to strive primarily from it's nightlife and tourism.
Upon driving to our hostal from the airport, nearly every billboard that was passed was an advertisement for a club. Many of the clothing stores and stores in the outdoor markets were filled with merchandise to advertise these clubs or the DJs that perform at them. The island in turn gave off a very carefree vibe, and it seemed that everyone that was there were just visitors, vacationing for the weekend.
The way the billboards and ads promoted these clubs was in a very vibrant way, with obvious sex and partying and suggestion, something that isn't acceptable to be advertised so obviously in the U.S.
All in all, this island was probably the only I've been, and will ever visit, that thrives and exists purely for tourist pleasure. It was interesting to see the way it sustains itself through it's advertising of nightlife and beaches. I wonder if the interest will ever run out?

Politics in Spanish Media

In beginning to watch the news and media in Spain, I started to pay close attention to the present political issues. It was at first difficult for me to understand what was going on, due to the language barrier and different government here. It then became clear that the majority of political media coverage is centered around the issues with the Basque socialist group called the ETA. Through paying attention to newspaper articles and coverage on television, I was able to learn more about politics in Spain, just as we do in the U.S. However, not only are our current political issues a bit different, but also, we have different ways of portraying them to the public.

It became clear to me through also listening to the lectures in graphics that Spain seems to be very sensitive to socialism, and sees it as a very negative way of government. I myself am a supporter of Obama, and am aware that many conservatives/Republicans in the U.S. see him as a socialist. However, in my opinion, things such as universal health care and being given the financial opportunity to attend college, based on the amount of work you put toward it, are all positive things for our country, even if they are seen as "socialist." I think the main issue Spain has with socialism is due to the struggles they have with terrorist groups such as the ETA, and certain parts of their country wanting independence from Spanish rule. It is interesting to see how Spain's media voices these concerns.

Many of the different newspapers here have a very obvious bias, which is more than I can say for the states. While we do have some newspapers that are known to be a little more left wing or right wing than others, Spain pretty much puts their opinion right in your face, beginning with their headlines. This made me realize how frowned-upon media bias is in the U.S., but really, it's nothing more than someone voicing their opinion, as we do everyday.