Ariadna Oltra sets limits
On Friday, Els matins on TV3 paid attention to the debate and the vote on the housing decrees in Congress. Ariadna Oltra interviewed representatives from different political parties to analyze the consequences of the standoff between the Spanish government and Junts. A tense countdown with a lot of political and popular tension. One of the connections to Madrid was with the Comuns spokesperson Aina Vidal. The deputy was wearing a very bright yellow t-shirt with a printed legend that said, in huge capital letters, "Catalonia is not CiU". "There are slogans that unfortunately do not go out of style," Vidal noted sarcastically when Oltra asked her to clearly show what the slogan said. This staging for the media was already an indicator of the virulence of the day in Congress and the climate of hostility between parties.
Oltra asked her if she had been surprised by the no from Junts, and asked her what her party was doing to try to redirect the situation in those four hours of margin that remained before voting. During the response, the spokesperson went on to increase the vehemence of her words, she raised her tone of voice to the point that she ended up including an outburst in the middle of her speech: “In Catalonia we are paying more than a thousand euros for a fucking room! This is unsustainable!” Oltra let the representative of Comuns finish, but immediately asked her for a pause: “One moment, one moment. I understand your anger, eh... But there are words that I ask you not to use, please”, and she asked her the following question.
Oltra's reaction was quick, firm but with a good tone. And Vidal accepted it, because the situation did not repeat itself. The presenter's gesture, despite being an anecdote within the interview, was very timely. It is important that those responsible for the media ensure a formally polite and correct dialogue. In a moment of polarization and so much confrontation, it is good that the media, especially public ones, avoid being dragged into the aggressiveness of the hemicycle and the increase in the emotional temperature of the street and the country. The media contribute to setting the tone of public debate, especially on television, where it is easier to sensationalize content. Allowing swearing to grab attention can lead to excessive aggressiveness and lower the level of a legitimate debate. Linguistic transgression is very tempting for some parties. Language (and swear words) is a political tool and, therefore, it is good that journalists assume the responsibility of what the framework of the conversation should be. The logical lack of inhibition that a private conversation might have should not be confused with the responsibility of a space that is shared. Asking for a certain verbal restraint does not have to affect the level of criticism of the interlocutor. Journalism must demand more precise resources than the exhibition of indignation. Oltra reminded us of the limits that the media have a duty to preserve.
