'Nació' wins the Barnils prize and the ARA receives a mention for its research on Manel Esteller

BarcelonaThe eleventh Barnils Prize, awarded this Wednesday to the Born CMM and promoted by the Ramon Barnils Group of Journalists, has been given to a journalistic investigation into the workings of Aliança Catalana published by Nation and made by journalists Joan Serra, Martí Oliver and Pere Fontanals. The untold story of Aliança CatalanaThe series of six reports, winner of the national investigative journalism award, revealed who is behind Silvia Orriols' party and detailed the structure and resources of this far-right organization. Furthermore, ARA received a special mention for its report. Money transfers, impersonations and a climate of "terror", which reconstructs Manel Esteller's departure from the Institut Josep Carreras, published by Cristina Sáez and Núria Juanico Llumà.

The research of Nation It pointed to Eduard Llaguno, businessman and former leader of Solidaritat Catalana, as a financier of the party. The award jury valued the fact that the reports provided previously unknown information about Aliança Catalana. They also emphasized that this type of article is the raison d'être of the media, which must scrutinize all political parties, including those on the far right. Regarding the mention of ARA, the jury highlighted that it brings to light information that is normally very difficult to access because the world of university research is often opaque. Furthermore, they emphasized the impact the publication has had. Honorary award to Empar Marco

One of the stars of the evening was Valencian journalist Empar Marco, who was recognized with the honorary award, established a year ago to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the Barnils Prize. The award highlights her professional career as a journalist – she has been a correspondent in the Valencian Community for TV3, Catalunya Ràdio, Today and The Vanguard– and as the first female director of the Valencian public broadcaster À Punt (2017-2020).

In this edition, the jury decided not to award the Barnils Prize in the local media category, although the organizers emphasized the essential role of the local press.

One of the recurring themes of the event was the role of the media in the face of the rise of the far right. In this regard, the president of the Barnils Group and deputy director of the newspaper ARA, Enric Borràs, called on reporters, photographers, journalists, and reporters in general to declare themselves antifascist and act accordingly. He also warned that "the far right is the gateway to fascism, and that is why we have launched a campaign to defend antifascist journalism." "As the Barnils Group, we are on the front lines of the journalistic battle against the far right," he asserted.

The jury for this edition of the Barnils prize was made up of Andreu Merino, a journalist fromThe morning of Catalunya Ràdio; Cristina Mur, director of Cugat Mèdia; Marcel Mauri, PhD in social communication and professor and researcher at the Department of Communication of Pompeu Fabra University; Aleix Moldes, journalist for ARA, winner of the Barnils Prize in the national category of the last editionPau Brunet, member of AMIC and responsible for the digital edition of Region 7, and Enric Borràs, president of the Ramon Barnils Group of Journalists.