And after 'Flood alert', what's next?

Flood alert, he Non-fiction this Tuesday on TV3, It began with incredible force. We felt as if we were witnessing a reenactment of a conversation between the documentary's director, Laia Mestre, and a technician from the Catalan Water Agency (ACA). First, they established a confidentiality agreement, and then the man claimed to have been pressured by city councils and superiors to sign reports that should never have been approved. Highlighting administrative negligence related to disaster situations, they transported us to the heart of the story: the construction of housing in areas with a high risk of flooding.

Flood alert The documentary maintained the anonymity of the four ACA witnesses contacted by the program's team. It was much more than simply pointing out the black spots on the map. It fulfilled the journalistic function of uncovering highly relevant facts, denouncing the shortcomings and negligence of the administration, and how recklessness is perpetuated. It provoked astonishment: due to the severity of the cases, the impunity of the administration, the continued relevance of the events, and the vast expanse of land affected in the examples shown. The coordination between the production and post-production to geographically pinpoint these areas clearly explained the scope and potential of these floods. The camera followed the direction of the water to show everything susceptible to being swept away. Experts, lawyers, neighborhood associations, and affected property owners contributed to clarifying the inconsistencies of the system, the bureaucratic dead ends, and the withholding of information from citizens. It is possible that, as a result of the documentary, many people became aware that they live in a high-risk area.

Flood alert It was supposed to air weeks ago, and the authors accused management of attempted censorship. A conflict very poorly handled by the network, which aroused suspicion among viewers. While watching it, it was impossible not to wonder what might have been altered or what wasn't being revealed. Paradoxically, it's as if the documentary itself has become a whistleblower, exposing the dynamics and constraints of TV3's news programs.

The media are essential for whistleblowers. Not only for pointing out dysfunctions but also for guaranteeing the democratic health of the system. Creating journalistic tensions around such important allegations can undermine the confidence of future witnesses and discourage them from speaking out. The controversy, incidentally, has tarnished the extremely high informational value of the allegations. Just before theNon-fictionCruañas announced the program. But it would also have been logical for the news programs the following day to report on the very serious events that have been uncovered. 3Cat Info could have more proudly sold the exclusive they obtained through these four ACA technicians. And now what? Are they going to cover it up again as if nothing happened? How easy it is to talk about the Mazón case in Valencia and how difficult it is to talk about what happens at home. Less self-promotion and more journalism.