Sopena, Enric

Revistes Catalanes amb Accés Obert

77 Not just the market 
ENRIC SOPENA 
The author expresses his scepticism of the business and mass-media 
magnates, who have been dubbed "The Wise Men" by the Frenchman Paul 
Lefevre. Sopena states that these Wise Men have names and sumames. They 
buy and sell newspapers, radio stations, television channels. In this article he 
takes a look at the experience of private television channels in France, the 
United States, Germany and Brazil. In Europe, information has begun to be 
replaced by light entertainment, a field which the joumalist considers to be 
an audio-visual jungle. 
The battle for viewing ratings and the astronomical salaries of the star-
presenters have led to a rejection of the journalist's credibility. The 1993 
Sofres Poll about professionals in the field of information, which was 
carried o ut in France, gave a negative result. In 1991, credibility had gone 
down by 49%, compared to 1987, when 59% o f the French placed their 
trust in the professionals in the field of information. As far as the future is 
concerned, trust can only be regained by guaranteeing pluralism on the 
part of the journalists and freedom of expression, not just in terms of the 
government or political parties, but also in terms of economic interests. 
The public audiovisual sector must be regained, and this must be done 
with the necessary economic support and, ultimately, the defence of 
genuinely democratic values: freedom of expression, pluralism and 
culture for all. 
ANNALS DEL PERIODISME CATALÀ 
109 


Not just the market

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Revistes Catalanes amb Accés Obert