Alcor Colloquia

Between 1972 and 1994, the Alcor Colloquia brought togeteher more than 300 national and international journalists to reflecto n media in a Spain in transition to democracy.

What began as a “Check-up on Information” became a key fórum for defending press freedom and consolidating the role of the Fourth Estate: Many of these professionals remain committed to this cause today.

In the current context, and within the framework of the Action Plan for European Democracy, the importance of Article 20 of the Spanish Constitution which protects freedom of expression and information, is recalled. The Alcor Colloquia pay tribute to those who promoted this legacy and to those who have passed away, resuming dialogue as a tribute to their commitment.

The Alcor Colloquia are held annually with various themes under the motto of Building the Future and Defending Freedom.

2025 ALCOR COLOQUIA

Last Wednesday, January 29, 2025, under the Honorary Presidence of Her Majesty Queen Letizia, the Alcor College auditórium revived a tradition that for 22 year had positioned itself as a benchmark for reflection on journalism and freedom of though in Madrid society. On that day, the so-called Alcor Colloquia took up the mantle of continuing to build the future and educate in freedom, now also paving the way for disciplines other tan journalism.

The event not only served as a tribute to the more than 300 people involved in journalism and communication who passed through the Alcor auditorium, but also to the nearly twenty journalists who participated in this session, convinced that the best tribute to our society is to continue educating in freedom.

With Marilo Montero acting as presenter, “A review of information in 2025” featured Vicente Vallés, director and presenter of Noticias 2 on Antena 3—the journalist currently closest to being a “rock star,” as Mariló Montero pointed out—and the director-founder of the newspaper El País and member of the Royal Spanish Academy, Juan Luis Cebrián. For both of them, the press, or whatever you want to call it today, will continue to be useful to society, both for its informative work and for acting as a counterweight to a political power that is increasingly trying to hinder that function.

For he founder of El Pais, the news program directed by Vallés is the “only credible newscast in the country”. He acknowledges that “I learned a good part of the journalism I Know from Reading Cebrian´s El País”. They also agree on the general lines of their analysis, even regarding the two people responsable for an increasingly complicated situation: technology and politicians.

For Cebrian, the current technological change represents a revolution “greater tan the printing press”. The internet and social media have become a polarizing arena “98% of advertising is concentrated on social media” given that more and more people, especially Young people, but not only them, are getting their information through social media, it is important that “serious” media outlets also be present online to provide information.

There are brutal campaigns to discredit media outlets that don´t support certain political positions, and there are attempts, such as the one now being explored by the current Spanish government, to control the media. Cebrian is blunt: “ The Spanish Constitution prohibits any type of prior censorship”. He adds “Without press clippings, all the political corruption that occurs in democratic countries would not have been exposed: Watergate, GAL, Filesa, Gurtel…”

More journalism is the only alternative. Vallés continues to focus on the news, although it is no longer just a matter of “explaining what, but above all why.” News must be put into context, analyzing what surrounds it, where it comes from, and where it is going. The internet and social media have led to the development of “a twisted mindset” in newsrooms, and today they are hardly considered as a source of information, or at best as highly dubious, with their veracity being thoroughly verified. As for political interference, “which is nothing new,” the Antena 3 journalist regrets it, although more for the future of democracy than for the future of journalism, “which continues to exist, but is tending toward weakness.”

The second panel, “The mainstream media under scrutiny,” featured ABC deputy editor Elena de Miguel and Álvaro Nieto, editor of The Objective, who uncovered the Delcy case in Vox Populi and the Koldo case in the digital newspaper he runs, among others, and who urges us to keep an eye on Plus Ultra. It is “press clippings that expose the corruption of power,” and this has caused tensions between journalists and politicians.

For de Miguel, newspapers rely on advertising, especially in digital formats, which has stagnated in the last two years. Events, subscriptions or paywalls, and search engine dependence are highly relevant issues in this environment. But also, the average subscription, flooded with great deals, has driven down the Price of subscrption.

The liner business structures of digital newspapers than of traditional newspapers allw them to compete better. Nieto advocates open journalism, a journalist must select what´s happening and worth reporting and organize ir, in fact, her masthead only features boutique topics daily.

In Elena de Miguel’s opinion, an influencer is not comparable to a journalist, but a journalist can be an influencer. The third panel, “Communicators and Messages,” featured Pedro Piqueras, Ángel Expósito, and Luis del Val. The hallmark of someone who has worked for TVE, Antena 3, and Telecinco is the production of balanced news programs and reporting on current events. Although polarization is undoubtedly weighing heavily, Piqueras believes in television made with honesty.
Fort he presenter, despite news fatigue, we musn´t overlook the major conflicts: Ukraine, Russia and the great challenge of the 21st century: inmigration.

The Val maestro, who defines himself and his partners Ernesto Sáenz de Buruaga as hypochondriacs, asserts that in his case, he is a permanent, intermittent hypochondriac, who has embraced medical journalism to humanize medicine “Look me in the eyes”. An infinite human being, he continues to be moved today, just as he was when he recounted the attack on the Zaragoza barracks pepetrated by the terrorist group ETA live with ñaki Gabilondo, during whiche he had to describe the discovery of an empty crib containing a doll whose owner had been blown to bits by the explosión.

For him who daily discusses the topic of the day, he declares that he doen´t writte letters to arrogant people and that he has worked in so many outlets while respecting their editorial line.

For the director of COPE’s Linterna, the internet has changed the history of radio.
Live broadcasting can be done from anywhere in the world; you just have to want to go to the places, and he gave us examples: Auschwitz on its 80th anniversary. (just 200 km from the Ukrainian border), Mexico City, the Church of Soledad who welcomes black people from the Congo on their way to the US, enthusiastically recounts the hour and a quarter he spent with Zelensky and four other Spanish journalists answering all the questions, in contrast to the embarrassment of the supposedly agreed question that Pedro Sánchez imposed on the five reporters who had traveled to Kiev during his visit to Ukraine.

His stories range from Corporal Carrasco’s cooking classes in Lebanon under UN mandate to the Green Berets in Iraq, to the kilometers of wall on the US border built by Obama, to diving into the Atlantic to rescue three people alive from a cayuco with more than 30 corpses, to the Simón Bolívar Bridge in Colombia on the border with Venezuela… These are experiences that you cannot recount in the same way if you have not been there, argued Expósito, who defends live radio because the voice does not deceive.

To conclude the day, the topic of “Spain and the right to information from the transition to the present day” was addressed, featuring a panel of journalists led by Justino Sinova, APM Vice President Luis Ayllón, and Federico Ysart.

For Luis Ayllón, the Attorney General has crosses all the red lines regarding justice and the separation of powers. Justino Sinova believes that crises in democracies are determinated by the suppression of the opposition and the end of the separation of powers. Hopefully, the Supreme Court will put an end to the tragedy of having an Attorney General at the behest of political establishment. In his opinión, it is not exemplary for the Attorney general to refuse to answer a judge´s questions. Sinova believes that, if the Political Reform Law of the Transition represented by “Goodbye Dictatorship, Goodbye” headlines in Diario 16, he fears we may now face a similar headline in terms of democracy.

The unanimous opinión is that only the Supreme court can sabe us, since the Prime Minister wants to remain in power and is willing to do anything. “He lacks sufficient trainingas a democratic politician” and Rubalcaba already warned of this in the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Worker´s Party), before the current president became SEcretary Genarl of that party.

For Federico Ysrat, the difference between the politicians of the transition and those of today is abysmal. Back then, they all had profesional careers outside of politics and wanted to pacify the future by reaching agreements. Today, democracy is largely partisan. Sixty percent of the current chamber has never held salaried Jobs; and primaries have created strongmen, forming castes with a closed electoral law.

In Luis Ayllón´s opinión, the parlamentary monarchy es protecting us. Justino Sinova reminds us that the monarchy is not everlasting, but it is the last dam of containment, alluding to His Majesty the King´s Chritsmas Eve speech. He also alludes to the fact that Juan Sebastian el Cano (alluding to Infanta Leonor) will always remain.

Regarding ethics and journalists’ freedom to write, Ysart refers to the “conscience clause” as a safeguard against justice. For Sinova, the “synchronized opinion team” consists of journalists who repeat what ministers say, and this allows the government to count on social support, a loudspeaker amplified by social media; only in this way can the cushion of votes from citizens unaware of the real information be explained.

With regard to press associations, Ayllón points out that they find it very difficult to issue press releases that have an impact when the press is under attack, citing as an example the Democratic Regeneration Law, 50% of which deals with the press.

The damage to Spain’s image abroad was also discussed, citing as an example the recent visit by the NATO secretary general, who did not pose for photos with the president or hold a press conference, unlike in all the other countries he visited.

With regard to the role of women in the media, although they are present in newsrooms and classrooms, they do not manage to reach management positions in the media, television, or radio.