Dear employer, the crisis - obviously again - does not affect everyone equally, it is clear, and there are sectors that are suffering more than others, the media tell us every day. But until now we have not said much about all the written media, is its own crisis, which not only result of the economic situation, but, according to the expert, s has a background structural model business.

The main income of most media companies comes from the investments being made by advertisers and advertising, when they begin to reduce them substantially - this happened in Catalonia and Spain at the end of 2007 and early 2008, for part of real estate companies, especially - all media, especially the writings, large or small, as are the difficulties come, and now here are already installed - Infoadex study of advertising investment in Spain in 2009 -. But besides, it matches that must cope with a changing social habits and the impact of new technologies. One fact: the Internet advertising spending grew 26.5% in 2008, and reached the figure of 610 million euros, 8.6% of the total, the same as the traditional sector magazines . Conscious of this reality, the College of Journalists of Catalonia, the Madrid Press Association, the Professional Association of Journalists of Galicia, the Federation of Unions of Journalists, CCOO and UGT have asked the Government State your involvement in addressing these serious problems. However, this environment is not exclusive media of our house, is global.

And speaking of comprehensiveness in early February, five well-known British journalist in different media - Financial Times, BBC, Guardian, Daily Mail and Sky - were called to testify before the Committee of Economy of the House of Commons to explanations of how they reported on the problems of banks in that country. This gave rise to a debate on the role of the media when reporting on economics: investigated enough in the era of prosperity? Why then not reporting on what is being done? They convey an image too optimistic to society? There was conflict of interest (advertising) in a context of fierce competition? Have been far too alarmist and pessimistic? They were and are too inexperienced journalists (Young lowest cost)?

One such debate here is not superfluous step, since the extent to which the interests of media companies and writing the mood of its shareholders and directors do not influence directly or indirectly in the headlines and articles professionals write? Because the truth is that is, whether good or bad, but there are many ways to write it.

Joseph Albet

Economic Focus, 14-03-2009