Seven years fighting relentlessly for quality journalism

2 min

This is a bittersweet anniversary for ARA. We have had the worst possible news: the loss of Carles Capdevila, the man who dreamed up the newspaper that began its journey seven years ago while the economy and the news industry were in disarray. This double crisis was a major challenge. But we have also had the best possible news: our figures show that in 2017 this newspaper has consolidated its position as Catalonia’s flagship news outlet. Readers support our efforts by purchasing ARA’s print version and visiting our online edition in growing numbers. Our work has received international recognition, as proven by the eleven European Newspaper Awards that we have received this year. None of that is by chance.

In the last seven years, first led by Capdevila and by Esther Vera since 2015, we have consolidated our structure, developed our own way of going about things, honed our reporting instinct and, above all, we have built a team that has allowed us to pass the test with flying colours. For this reason, ARA has managed to rise to the challenge of reporting rigorously and professionally, whilst bringing together a wide range of voices that provide our readers with the scope of insights required to understand Catalonia’s diversity. And, needless to say, all that has been accomplished with ARA’s trademark cutting-edge design and foregrounding the topics that affect people’s daily lives: schooling, health care, culture and the welfare of people.

However, since the jihadist attacks in August, political news has taken centre stage. In these troubled times, as with most important newspapers worldwide, many actors have found ARA to be an uncomfortable read. For some, we indoctrinate, while others find us suspect because we will not toe the line. To us, it is all much easier than that. We are journalists. We accept the limitations of reporting reality in real time, but our commitment to the profession and its values is unshakeable. We believe that there can be no true democracy without access to unbiased reporting and, therefore, we fight the virus of disinformation and propaganda with honesty and an independent viewpoint. We feel that this is the best service we can render to our critical, intelligent readers who have been loyal to us all these years, as well as to Catalan society, a grown-up society that is committed to freedom and diversity, the values that we shall continue to reflect in our newspaper.

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