THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMAGE OF CATALONIA IN SPANISH TELEVISION

Transcription

1 SECTION: HISTORY iii). National identity and media THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMAGE OF CATALONIA IN SPANISH TELEVISION Dra. Eva Pujadas Capdevila Electronic address: ABSTRACT This paper expose the main results obtained from a research analysis on the content of prime-time Spanish Television concerning Catalan identity. This research was carried out by a group of researchers of Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, was financed by the Catalan Audiovisual Council (CAC) and has been published in its periodical review. The main topics appearing to conform Catalan identity are its main football team (Barça), the leader of the governing political party (J.Pujol), its main city (Barcelona) and other sports, such as tennis and motorbikes. The way the discourse is constructed around these topics shows an identity closely connected to the values of power and elite. In this discourse, Catalan population scarcely appears nor other branches of political power other than government (such as the Parliament), nor any villages or smaller cities; conforming altogether an image distanced from the local spheres and without any roots to its culture, activities and territory.

2 THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE IMAGE OF CATALONIA IN SPANISH TELEVISION Dra. Eva Pujadas Capdevila Electronic address: PAPER 1. Object of the research: As it is mentioned on the abstract, this paper is the result of a research analysis on Catalan identity made from the content of prime-time television programming of the channels with a Spanish scope. In Spain we have Spanish scope television channels, in Spanish language and with some disconnection along the day where local programming is offered, mostly local news. We also have regional or autonomic television channels, in Catalan or Galician language. This research was carried out by a group of researchers of the Department of Journalism and Audiovisual Communication Studies of Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona. Professor X. Ruiz Collantes was the director and professor E.Saperas and I where the other two researchers. The research was financed by the Catalan Audiovisual Council (CAC) and has been published in its periodical review. The object of study was to analyse the different elements connected to Catalan identity. On television discourse appear some characters, institutions, spaces, scenarios, etc. connected, in someway, to Catalunya. From the analysis of the way they are presented and what is told about them, television discourse ascribe them some values and characteristics. The selection of characters, institution and spaces as well as the ascription of specific values to them contribute to the creation of a specific image of Catalunya. The objective of the research was to determine from the television discourse what are the elements connected to Catalunya and the role they play in the final conformation of an image of Catalunya. Finally, the object of this study was to analyse the characteristic and symbolic values that create an identity about the Catalan. The object of the study was, clearly, television discourse. I have specified what it is this study and I shall briefly explained what it is not. The public presentation of the research provoked, in specific sectors, some confusion about the intentions and final results. This study should not be understood as the final social image of Catalunya on the Spanish State. In the construction of Catalan image, as well as with the image of other spaces or characters, contribute many factors such the content of other media as the press, the radio, etc.- or agencies of socialisation of the audience such as the school.

3 Secondly, from the analysis of the image constructed about Catalunya, cannot be automatically derived an intentional strategy from the different television channels. Television discourse is a final result of the intervention of many factors. The results of the investigation intend to be an interesting contribution to media, public institutions and the different social sectors to consider the image of Catalunya that is actually being shaped on the Media. Thirdly, one should mention a much more evident fact, that is, that the image constructed in the media is not the same as the reality of Catalunya. 2. Methodology and sample This research has been made from the application of two different and complementary methodologies: a quantitative and a qualitative one. The quantitave methodology consisted on the construction of some tablea that permitted to describe the television content, its format, the existence of forms of identity and the presence of symbolic expressions. The qualitative methodology consisted on the application of a discursive analysis. The object was to define the semantic values that appear to conform a universe about Catalunya. To analyse the elements that intervene in the construction of the image of Catalunya on the television discourse, the team of researchers planned to cover the programming of the five Spanish scope television channels during a whole year. The channels selected were those that offered programming schedules available to all the Spanish State. These channels were: TVE1, La2, T5, A3 and C+, in its not codified schedule. From the whole schedule of these channels, we selected the slot of prime-time audience, understanding that this included the most viewed programmes, that is, those with a heavier role in the construction of the Catalan image. Prime-time consists on two slots: the first one around lunch television news (in Spain from 14:30 to 16:00) and the second one around the evening television news (from 21:00 to 23:00). The sample registered consists of six weeks along a whole year (from March 1998 to January 1999). Specifically, it has been a week every two months where the registration days have been switched: some weeks where Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday; some other Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, in order to cover the different programmes. As a result, we obtained 367 hours 30 minutes. From all this material, we selected the fragments of discourse containing any element referred in a direct or indirect way to characters or institutions connected with Catalan identity. From the total amount of registration hours, those containing any reference to Catalan identity were 20hours and 57 minutes. 3. Four relevant thematic areas The four wide categories that organise the information broadcast in the Spanish television channels that contribute to shape the Catalan image are those following: 3.1. Barça (The football team)

4 An identity in conflict Regarding the identity of F.C.Barcelona, the research allows us to talk about a double identity in conflict. On one side there are in television discourse some values connected to efficiency, management, profits results, etc. These are values that, metaphorically speaking, make reference to the concept of business. F.C. Barcelona is constructed as an enterprise, with an enormous economic power and specific abilities in the management of resources where the money is no object. This ability goes beyond the amount of money needed to contract other players, the difficulties imposed from other clubs or the interest that other football teams could have on the same football players. This is the case of the signing-up of the De Boer brothers. The other side of this power is the will of the players to be come to Barcelona F.C. or to keep in. Statements such as the great players always want to come to Barça (T5, July the 30 th ), my best wish would be not to leave the team... (C+, May the 27 th ). The character that best incarnates the side of sports-managerial efficiency of F.C:Barcelona is the football trainer, Van Gaal (who is actually back to Barça); he appears as a holder of an eccentric character, distant and authoritarian, wanting for results and often his decisions appear as capricious. In this sense, we can find statements such as Van Gaal cracks the whip, Van Gaal keeps as the way he is, inflexible. On the other side of this kind of identity, in the television discourse appear values connected to an emotional community, with references to the origins, the identity and the feeling of belonging. These values are, metaphorically speaking, connected to the concept of family. The main characters that incarnate this idea of a Barça as a family are: - The supporters (football fans). The Barça supporters appear connected to the football team as a sentimental institution. In this sense, there are many images and contents referring to the gathering of worldwide supporters, images with strong references to Catalan identity (the sardana, the barretina, the typical hat and popular feasts). These references also contain some religious connotations (parades with the football flag instead of a cross). - The local players (from the breeding ground). The football players that come from other football clubs often break with this image of Barça as a big family. In this sense, on the occasion of rumours about the arrival of players from Netherlands for example, there are declarations of local players claiming for Barça s identity. They refer to it as home, they talk about to feel the colours, etc. that involve a strong emotional discourse. This discourse is clearly opposed to the trainer s discourse. The different anchormen of the channels emphasise these opposition with statements as with Zenden, there are already nine players from the Nehterlands, the Dutch clan of Barça, the invasion of Dutchs, etc. Barça, an epic hero Besides of being an institution of a double nature, Barça is a football team. The team, formed by the trainer, the directives and the players appears in specific spaces and performing specific actions. These spaces and actions allow defining characteristics and values ascribed to the football team.

5 There are three kinds of spaces and occasions where F.C. Barcelona appear to perform specific activities: these are the football field, the pressroom and the hotel and airports that, represent, at the same time, the different steps of construction of an epic character. On the football field, the team performs two basic activities: to train and to play with other teams. At the pressroom the players declare and comment on different issues and at the airports and hotels they appear going or coming back from any match. These images conform a quite typical schema of mythic narratives: the hero prepares for the battle; the hero departs towards the battle; the hero performs the battle and finally, the hero is recognised and acclaimed for its victory. (In this sample, there are no images corresponding to the recognition of the victory but they often appear when the football team goes to Catalan Government and the City government with the cup and even to offer it to the Virgin of Montserrat and la Mercè). The eternal rivals: Barça and Real Madrid The image of F.C.Barcelona as a hero needs of another rival hero that also fights for the victory, which is also represented as a holder of specific characteristics. The television channels heavily emphasise the confrontation between F.C.Barcelona and Real Madrid. This fact is a defining characteristic of F.C.Barcelona s identity. Television channels present the relationship between the two football teams as an obsessive relationship, in which each of them is constantly watching and waiting for the other s activities. This fact comes to the point that each of them defines their sport and emotional mood according to the activities the other team performs and the results it obtains. In this sense, the television discourse uses significant metaphors that give an idea of the degree of aggressiveness between the teams. For instance, TVE1 states that Barça has madriditis as a serious illness or the metaphor of anthropophagy (cannibalism) if the match lasted ten minutes longer Barça ends up by eating the Real Madrid. This refers to a kind of confrontation basic and wild that searches for the annihilation of the other. The fields of confrontation between Barça and Real Madrid are four: - The sport one - The hiring of players - The economic management (consisting not only on having more money but also managing better) - The supporters. Televisions present the matches between the two football teams as high-risk situations (they usually talk about security measures, amount of police controlling the followers, etc.). The relationship between Barça and other football teams Barça is always presented as a powerful football team that confronts to other weaker football teams. Because of the superiority with which it is presented, Barça is obliged to win, has the responsibility to win the matches, which produces an important stress when it does not fulfil in this task. In this sense, the declarations where the players beg for pardon and assume the responsibility, etc. are common. If Barça does not win has to give many explanations, has to beg for the public pardon.

6 Besides, the other football teams are not presented as characters with the obligation to win but as small teams for whom to win against the great team is placed in the realm of dream, of wish. In order to win Barça, and according to the lack of power as they are represented, they need to have discipline, hopefulness, intelligence, and creativeness. If they get to win, this is shown on television as a surprise and the football players that make the goals as a big feat. The expectancies of having always to win, conforms an image of F.C.Barcelona as a spoilt and prepotent team. The relationship between Barça and Catalunya The relationship established in the television discourse about Barça and Catalunya is ambivalent. On one side, there is a relationship of identification through images containing some topics about Catalan identity, the local players and of the Generalitat (autonomic government) building. On the other side there is a relationship of dissociation between Barça and Catalunya. This dissociation is transmitted through the information regarding the Dutch players, the fact that the football team goes abroad for training and its players also go abroad to recover from lesions or to have operations abroad. This dissociation is closely connected to the image that Barça is such a powerful football team that the geographic space of Catalunya is not enough to fulfil its needs Other sports The only sports connected to Catalan identity in the discourse of television are two sports of elite: motorcycling and tennis. These cannot be considered sports with a massive audience or followers, such as the case of football; both are sports that, need to be played in big and expensive installations and with high level technical requirements. Besides, they are sports whose competitions are basically of an international scope. In fact, the competitions of these sports of a Spanish scope are not given any importance on television discourse, as it is the case of other sports such as basket or football. This fact contributes to accentuate the elite characteristic. The Catalan sport men participating in international competition of Tennis and Motorcycle are depicted as participating in a Spanish epic action. They are explicitly called Spanish sportsmen (this is the case of Checa, Gibernau on motorcycle and Corretja, Costa, Mantilla, Bruguera, Sanchez Vicario on Tennis). The discourse also includes war references such as the Spanish legion or the denomination of patriots. The discourse depicts Catalan sportsmen with a strong dramatisation. They appear as overcoming difficulties, adversities, suffering with the matches and having to resist, to find forces, to stand for hard circumstances, etc. The other Catalan football team playing on the National League (1 st.division), the R.C.Deportivo Español is depicted as a simple football team, performing its activities in a precarious situation (the players complaint about the state of the field since they have to share the stadium with the local American football players, the Barcelona Dragons) Catalan Politicians

7 From the quantitative point of view, the main character appearing on television discourse is Jordi Pujol, the president of Catalan government. No other political leaders, nor political parties, nor other institutions such as the Parliament appear in the discourse of television. From the qualitative methodology emerge some significant results: - Regarding the classical division of power (legislative, executive and judicial), there only appear politicians of the executive power (headed by Pujol, but sometimes Molins, Duran i Lleida and P. Esteve, which are other politicians belonging to the same political governing party, Convergència i Unió). - The role of Catalan politicians appearing on TV discourse, that is, Jordi Pujol is characterised by a double attitude, stabilising and destabilising one: - On one side, there is a vindication attitude that makes reference to the model of State. In this sense, there are significant information regarding the autonomic conflict, the revision of the Spanish Constitution and the financing model among the Spanish State and the autonomy governments. - On the other side, there is a stabilising role played by Jordi Pujol that makes reference to specific issues regarding the government (employment policy or controversial political cases, such as corruption). - Jordi Pujol appears holding an image of centrality. Centrality is interpreted such as the ability to establish negotiations with political forces of different sides, even to perform as a mediator between them. This role is played regarding two different spheres: - The mediator between the two main Spanish political parties, that is between PP (Partido Popular) and PSOE (Partido Socialista Obrero Español). CiU can play, from the political point of view with any of these political parties and so define the decisions taken in the Parliament. - The second kind of centrality of Catalan government within television discourse concerns the dynamics between State parties and vindicating autonomic parties, that intend a more or less radical change of the framework between the State and the different historical nationalities. - On television discourse, Jordi Pujol is the image of power. His power is often depicted as excessive, overwhelming and often a kind of power that goes beyond its competencies. In this sense, there is a significant amount of connotations included in ironical programmes such as the C+ puppets (Los muñecos del guiñol) or Caiga quien Caiga. Jordi Pujol applies his power to: - His own political party, Convergència i Unió. This clearly appears with the information concerning the designation of the political candidate for local elections (the case of the candidate of Barcelona). - Catalan Television

8 - The governance of Spanish State, through the elaboration of the Spanish general budget. This is the case of a humour programme where the puppets of Pujol and Aznar, parodying an add of a perfume hit each other on the street, fall their folders and Pujol substitutes Aznar folder for his where there is supposed to be the general budget. In the moment when the research was done there were other two Catalan politicians appearing on the sample (J.Piqué and J.Borrell), beholding government responsibilities on the Spanish Cabinet but with no specific mention to their Catalan origins The city of Barcelona Barcelona is defined on one side as a field of culture where different events take place art, science and shows- and on the other side, as a big city defined through specific characteristics, typical of big cities, issues like transports or some phenomena of social margination. Barcelona, cultural space Regarding information connected to culture, the city of Barcelona appears both as a place where different kinds of cultural creation emerges as well as a place that receives cultural works coming from abroad. As a place of cultural creation, Barcelona appears as a place where plastic arts develop and where different artists express their vivid relationship with the city, which inspires them and becomes productive for their work. In this sense, Frederic Amat, a painter declares about the provocative relationship he has with the city that pushes him to create I have a very particular relationship with the city, I have a male-female relationship with the city: difficult and also intense. Barcelona is also a space of scientific creation. In this sense there are different discourses regarding scientific findings, characterised by being basically an applied investigation in order to improve the individuals quality standards (ovule donation, the treatment of cancer at home or a pill for bald people). As a scenario, Barcelona appears mainly as a space of exhibition of plastic artists, very dynamic and related to the artistic avant-garde. In this sense Barcelona makes part of a circuit with the city of Madrid. A specific characteristic of the information about the city of Barcelona is the absence of beautiful people there is no singers, actors- coming out in the media; and all those who appear are connected to design, which could be the Catalan frivolity. The public of Barcelona that appears in the television discourse is a very cultivated public and voracious (they queue for long time to get good sits, they buy the entries quickly so they run out very soon, etc.). Barcelona appears as well as a moving city, with many people coming in and out of the city, the airports, the port and the highways. Barcelona is depicted through a specific spatial relationship with the Catalunya. This relationship is basically defined through the news that deal with the amount of cars coming in and out during the week-ends and summer holidays that shape an image of Catalunya like an extension of the city of Barcelona. The city is the place where the cars come from and in order to arrive to their destiny they have to cross different smaller cities that get collapsed.

9 Barcelona is mainly a cultural site. The culture is again connected to elite values: opera, theatre, exhibitions; there is no references to popular culture o national culture. The culture is centred in Barcelona and the rest of the territory only appear in Summer holidays, where different opera singers offer concerts and assist to Summer schools. 4. Comparison between Catalunya and Andalusia Once we identified the main topics dealing with Catalan identity, we kept wondering whether this particular way to conform the image of Catalonia as a general norm or at the contrary, was a specific case of media treatment. That is, we were asking ourselves whether Spanish television was shaping the image of other autonomies/nationalitites in the same way, through the same elements and with a similar contribution of each of them to the final shape. In order to make a comparison, we chose Andalusia, because of the fact that it is comparable to Catalunya in the sense that also have a strong identity and a similar demographic influence. We selected from the same sample all those fragments of television contents containing any reference to characters, institutions or Andalusian spaces. The amount of time we gathered was of 10 hours 49 minuts. (the case of Catalunya was almost 13 hours). Comparison was made using the same thematic issues: the main football club (the Betis), the main city, the president of autonomic government, other sports, and cultural and society events. The results show that the treatment made by Spanish televisions regarding Catalunya and Andalusia is completely different that contributes to shape a different global idea of each of these communities. The main football club: Barça appears much more than Betis does in the total amount of information regarding the autonomy (Barça 21,8% and Betis 8,3%); regarding political institutions, Catalunya appears more often than Andalusia but in any case they have a significant percentage ( Catalunya 8,4% and Andalusia 2%); regarding culture, the percebntage is also superior in the case of Catalunya (15%) than the case of Andalusia (7,5%). Concerning the physical space, Barcelona as the main city of Catalunya is a much common place on television news that Sevilla is. Sevilla does not appear as a central space in the treatment of Andalusia, as it happens in the case of Barcelona. The weight that the main city has in the shaping of the global image of the community is very different in both cases. Barcelona is a 19 7% of the time spent on Catalunya, whereas Sevilla is only a 3,6% of the total time devoted to Andalusia. The central difference between the treatment of both communities lies on the references to the rest of the territory. The high percentage of the space Andalusia (50,5%) is very significant compared to the percentage of Catalunya (9,9%). This difference is not only quantitative but qualitative one. There is a big thematic diversification of the territory where common characteristics can be found, cultural traditions (the case of the ferias, flamenco or popular dances). In the society news, there is high variation of issues: the case of illegal migrations from Africa, news about the Costa del Sol, (tourist resort), the stealing of a chicken, a congress on Agriculture, etc.

10 In short, the television treatment of the territories of Andalusia and Catalunya is reversed. The plurality of cities and villages that appear in the space Andalusia refers to wider space idea that, in the long term, makes possible the creation of an image of Andalusia more homogeneous, usually based on the traditional character of its villages and people, where agriculture `plays an important role. This heavily contrasts with the depiction of a modern and cosmopolitan image of Catalunya where Barcelona plays a central role. 5. Conclusions The image of Catalunya projected through the television media express two highly significant tendencies. On one side, there is a symbolic characteristic assigned to the Catalan that could be summarised with the concept of elite. On the other side, Catalunya appears with a disperse identity, represented by people and institutions of high level but without any roots in a consistent reality with an autonomous value on its own. In the television discourse, Catalunya is depicted through the characters, institutions and entities placed on the top of Catalan society: the big football club, the bigger city and the highest political mandatory. There is a qualitative difference between the attention payed to these characters and institutions and the rest of characters and institutions of the country. The representation of Catalunya is based on its high level components: the reality underneath them scarcely emerges. The concept of elite appears strongly connected to the concept of power. Jordi Pujol appears as a holder of an enormous political power; F.C.Barcelona as an entity of a strong sports and economic power and the city of Barcelona appears as a city with a high degree of dynamism and placed on the elite and cultural avant-garde. There are significant absences that allow us to talk about a disperse identity, such the language, territory, cultural tradition, visual symbols and all those elements that involve a distinctive personality that could speak of a Catalan identity from a common basis.