The participants in the Australian Leaders programme talked about the press and the current situation in the two countries with Spanish colleagues
The Council Foundation arranged a meeting for the Australian Leaders with their Spanish counterparts. The main goal was to exchange opinions on topics they consider relevant to the profession and the current situation in the two countries, as well as forging professional ties.
The attendees at this work lunch were journalists Alicia González (El País), Ángel Nieto (La Razón), Juan Tato (Radio Nacional de España), Fernando García (La Vanguardia), the former editor of El Mundo, David Jiménez, Pablo Colomer (an expert in foreign policy) and Asia-Pacific expert Georgina Higueras.
The state of the press in the two countries was the first topic discussed, and the attendees agreed that Australian and Spanish media outlets are in a similar position, experiencing grave difficulties and seeking a profitable business model.
In Spain, media outlets have suffered the sharpest drop in employment levels after the construction sector, which has had a negative impact on content quality, the journalists explained. In their opinion, the main reason for this has been a loss of trust in traditional media, which have been ousted by new digital media which connect better with audiences. The meeting also looked at the impact of social media and user interaction.
The economic crisis in Spain was a main talking point over lunch. The Australian journalists shared their impressions with their Spanish colleagues after the meetings organised as part of the programme. The Spanish journalists explained that, although the crisis seems to be over and unemployment has dropped, the recovery is still underway. “Spain is learning to re-position itself after the crisis,” they said. The Australian Leaders said they believed Spain has reason to move forward with optimism and considered education to be one of the key pillars for optimal economic performance.
The attendees at the meeting said the event was enriching and interesting, and it offered the Australian Leaders a clearer insight into Spanish society.
Australian Leaders Programme: Activity summary
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