LleidaAfter a long professional career almost always linked with Televisió de Catalunya, the communicator Mari Pau Huguet (Estopanyà, 1963) has been Recognized this March as an Emblematic Woman by the Hera association of LleidaShe has been working in the Audience Services Office for over fifteen years, but continues to participate in audiovisual projects and host many events.
I think she is the most interviewed interviewer in Catalonia.
— I usually accept.
It will be a challenge to surprise her, after so many interviews.
— Don't overthink it. I always say that I prefer interviewing to being interviewed.
What advice would you give to an interviewer like myself when faced with someone who has answered as many questions as you have?
— Above all, listen and observe. In the end, what's interesting is what your interviewee tells you, not what you ask.
It seems like very obvious advice.
— Don't overthink it. I often encounter interviewers who spend the entire conversation looking at the script, and that's very distracting for the interviewee. When I conduct interviews, I always try to make the guest feel very comfortable, to see that there are no barriers between us.
Isn't that outdated advice?
— Why? An interview will always be about asking and answering, looking and listening, period. There's no other way.
A common pitfall when dealing with multiple interviewees is to always ask them the same questions…
— You can ask me anything you want.
Does she hide her Lleida accent to go on TV3?
— Television has never asked me to change my accent. On the contrary, they've asked me not to lose it. In fact, I think my way of speaking was one of the things that got me the job in the beginning. Back then, there was no Lleida accent on television.
Have you tried to preserve it?
— Despite my efforts, I've become quite attached to the Barcelona accent, especially when I'm in Barcelona. I have a knack for languages and pick them up quickly.
Is enough work being done to preserve Catalan in our public media?
— Now we are fighting to maintain our Catalan.
Does "Now" mean that it wasn't before?
— In the beginning, there was always a strong Catalan presence on the programs, and they asked us for guests who primarily understood Catalan. But the interviewers have gradually switched to Spanish with Spanish-speaking guests, even if they understand Catalan. And that, I do find serious.
Have we lost the battle?
— I think there's been another turning point lately, and I've noticed that Catalan is being spoken more now. The opportunity has opened up to all kinds of interviewees and speakers, but it's important that this flexibility doesn't make us lose sight of the reason TV3 was created.
Why was he born?
— For Catalan, so that people could feel Catalan.
And what about a sufficiently standard Catalan?
— It's true that lately we've been incorporating a lot of what we hear on the street, what's being written on social media. Before, the in-house linguists would give us a complete report of the mistakes we made on air.
And they don't do it anymore?
— No, but they still warn us, and the scripts are carefully prepared before they air. But I think the important thing is that we realize that language is fundamental, that we can't lose it. And the audience is very aware of this.
How do you know?
— Many of the viewers who write to our Audience Relations Office are concerned about Catalan, about the proper use of the language. They get very angry when they feel there's too much Spanish. It's as if people are watching TV with a magnifying glass or writing down everything we say in a notebook!
Do they always respond to viewers who write to them?
— Always. We interact with both the viewers and the hosts of the programs they comment on. We check everything with linguists, and if a viewer disagrees, they can write to us again. There's a lot. feedback.
A huge undertaking!
— Absolutely, because it's about conducting a continuous search.
I understand that it's not the job he's most passionate about.
— That's right. I can't see the viewers, nor can I talk to them, which is what I miss most. I like communicating with them; I'd call them all, but it would never end, so we do it by email. Ultimately, what I've dedicated most of my life to is television and radio, especially television. And that's what I miss the most.
Does he still stand in front of the camera?
— Yes. I haven't stopped. I'm still the co-host of program The after-dinner conversation with singer-songwriter Pep Picas, which is now part of the 3Cat offering, and I collaborate with Manuel Campo Vidal and the Rural Journalists Network on a documentary about the unspoiled Spain.
Is quality programming being produced on public television? Or are we resorting to frivolity to gain viewers?
— This is certainly happening. But I also think that loyal TV3 viewers used to watch frivolous programs on other channels and couldn't tolerate them on their own television. There are certain liberties that TV3 hasn't been allowed, because they feel it belongs to them.
However, now more serious content, such as news programs, is giving way to lighter topics.
— There's an effort to diversify further, to open up and accept other types of content. Just like presenters are now going without ties and jackets, for example. We need to adapt to what's being demanded. Ultimately, we're selling a product, and those who buy it tend to set the trends.
She has just been awarded the Hera Prize for Emblematic Woman, in recognition of her professional career and her commitment to increasing the visibility of women in the media. She is described as "an approachable, rigorous, and committed voice that gives visibility to often-silenced realities that particularly affect women." Do you feel this description reflects your own experience?
— Yes, and I love it.
It's one thing to like it, another for the description to be careful.
— I feel represented. I think I've always wanted to highlight and give great importance to the female presence everywhere, not just in the media.
Like the sites of responsibility.
— Men have always been ahead. We must defend women's rights, which, although more visible, are still not sufficiently recognized.
Are the anti-feminist speeches of the far right setting back the process?
— No. Women have become empowered, they've lost their fear, and they've gained enough momentum to defend the ground they've earned. It's time to stop being in the background, always behind the scenes. And there are many men who are supporting them.
One of the biggest prejudices in the audiovisual world is the lack of recognition for mature women, unlike men. How do you feel at this stage of life?
— I feel very undervalued in that respect. It's a struggle we all face as we get older.
Outdone by younger women?
— I've simply gotten older, like everyone else; I've developed a few wrinkles, but I'm still the same person, even more experienced. Many international channels, like the BBC or CNN, have as many mature men as women anchoring the news, because they bring credibility and trust.
And here?
— Currently, this is still not the case. Many are young, still beautiful girls, but there isn't enough balance.
Isn't that the management's fault?
— This is the fault of trends, of the fads that sweep us along. There are colleagues my age or older who are doing on-screen appearances. I'm not criticizing them. I'm delighted they're doing it, but we need more mature and older women.
However, he will reach retirement age in just a few years.
— I would never want to retire. I'll continue as long as I can. Like theater actors who stay on stage until very old age.
A life dedicated to a vocation.
— I studied Romance philology and French philology, but my greatest career has been in television, with magazine-style programs that have allowed me to learn about everything. They've been like an encyclopedia, providing me with immense cultural and intellectual enrichment.
She has studied Chinese, Russian, German… she teaches musical theater and dance, sings in the heart of Binéfar, has an active social life, and reads a lot. All this activity won't leave her much time to watch television…
— I rarely see it, I admit. I only do so when I'm in the newsroom, out of necessity. I just don't have the time!
But there are plenty of times to come in Lleida.
— I come every weekend to see my mother, to meet up with lifelong friends, to sing… I just love Lleida. I have a strong connection to it.