The '30 minutes' program delves into the problem
The promotion that advertised the 30 minutes This Sunday's report on the B9 compound in Badalona stated: "Everyone has an opinion, but we went inside." This was the report's great strength: the journalistic merit of having gained access to B9 before the eviction of the four hundred people living in squalor and understanding what the interior of that former high school was like, what was happening there, and how its occupants were organized.
The report addressed two aspects. On the one hand, it told the stories of the protagonists, explaining the circumstances that had led them there. These experiences revealed new social divisions linked to immigration policy, racism, exclusion, lack of opportunities, and mental health issues. It also highlighted the solidarity work of organizations in Badalona. On the other hand, it focused on the conflict surrounding the settlement in the neighborhood, although the tensions were portrayed through the civilized statements of some residents rather than depicting the hostilities, which many of them lamented.
Having the direct testimony of the mayor of Badalona allowed for a very clear portrayal of the clash of interests and the municipal handling of the problem. García Albiol's candor and clarity when speaking, along with a careful selection of his interventions, allowed the viewer to read between the lines, uncovering more subtle aspects of his discourse, linked to his use of language: "I don't care if they're white or black. I don't care if they're beautiful or ugly," the mayor said. A statement intended to distance him from any racist motivation ended up confirming his prejudices. In a scene depicting the eviction, a woman accompanying Albiol informed him of the operation's effectiveness: "It's all clean now." A statement that connects with the mayor's promise to "Clean Up Badalona" and, once again, equates filth with immigration and the most disadvantaged.
B9 It was clear that the interviewer had done a good job of building trust with the people involved in order to gain entry to the compound. An empathetic gaze was projected onto these individuals. The absence of women among the chosen witnesses did not go unnoticed, and this bias surely conceals other underlying reasons and new stories that perhaps went untold. In a B9 settlement that seemed inhabited only by men, how did the women live? What were their circumstances? It was also clear that there was a less accessible area of the settlement. The idea of meeting again a month later with some of those who had been evicted to find out how they were living allowed for a clearer understanding of the paths of solidarity and exclusion.
This 30 minutes It was a revealing, sensitive, and very timely report that explains a very real problem in our country through the voices of those affected. And how we have this reality right next door.
