In times of polarization, Elena Herrero-Beaumont (Madrid, 45 years old) is able to seat the owners of the Spanish media landscape at the same table. He does not stop talking about income statements, except to reflect on credibility, “his main problem.” The co-director of the Media Observatory thus seeks consensus among different people. Perhaps because of the imprint of his grandparents' history. He, a “very red” journalist. She, “very badass.” Together they left Franco's Spain so that he could practice free journalism in Latin America. With a soft but firm voice, Herrero-Beaumont advises industry bosses on ethics, transparency and good governance in the face of the avalanche of hoaxes and pseudomedia.Question. What must a media have to be considered as such? Answer. Transparency around who its owners are, who governs it, how it is financed, what type of standards exist for creating and disseminating content, how these policies are followed and what editorial impact they have. We don't get into the contents, that seems dangerous to us.P. And what should be done with journalists who are also activists? A. We must reflect on what the credentials and membership should be. And reinforce the importance of press associations so that they point out false journalists—those who do not meet standards—and expel them. In an environment of digital misinformation, accrediting the figure of the journalist makes sense.
The mud machine is false information that is used to harm people.»
Q. Industry managers speak to you openly. A. I think they see me as a lame fly and deep down they think: “How annoying!” [ríe]. I worked as an editor covering the media sector and at that time I met them all.P. He went from publishing information about them to advising them how to better govern their businesses.R. Yes, but leadership is not so much personal. Things fell like ripe fruit. With the avalanche of misinformation, the opportunity to differentiate credible media from the mud machine opened. At that moment, they realized that the cojonera fly was right in some way.P. What is the mud machine? A. I don't know what Pedro Sánchez means, but it can be defined as false information that is used to harm people. And any organization or individual that does so can be considered part of that mud machine.The lawyer and journalist is also director of Ethosfera, a 'think tank' that aims to combat the risks of technological innovation.Claudio ÁlvarezP. What things worry media owners? A. First, the economic issue. The main sign of independence is a healthy income statement. And also, that audience measurement systems are transparent, how to retain journalistic talent or how to build relationships with technological platforms.P. And the influence of political power? R. The main problem today is credibility. That is, the media are perceived as transmission belts, but the response that editors give is that this does not happen in their newsrooms. [Hace una pausa]. Yes, everyone denies it, but then David Jiménez arrives, publishes El director (Libros del KO, 2019) and receives beatings for it.P. Martin Baron, former editor of The Washington Post, says that good reporters are not always good managers.R. It depends, it varies a lot. I couldn't tell you which profile works best, but I think it is essential that they have sensitivity for the profession.P. Does it anger you that almost all senior executives are still men? A. Yes, what are you going to do? I am a mother and I couldn't do that job. Now, for example, we are doing the interview and I am suffering inside from not being with my children. I understand that there are not more women managing media companies because it requires being there 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is an environment that is not very compatible with the family. Either you sacrifice it or it's very complicated.
I understand that there are not more women managing journalistic companies. “Either you sacrifice your family or it is very complicated.”
Q. How do you value the democratic action plan that the Government has presented? A. The advice I give to those who want to delve deeper into this topic is to read the European media freedom law, because it seems that what Pedro Sánchez is doing is basically implementing it; that is, do what Europe demands.P. And the controversial media record? R. The European regulation calls for there to be a supervision mechanism, a regulatory body, but if it is going to depend on the National Markets and Competition Commission we have to ensure its independence. There is always a risk of interference.P. On the other hand, most hoaxes emerge today and are spread through social networks.R. The removal of illicit content from platforms is beginning to be demanded, but there is a lot of arbitrariness and we are at the dawn. The technological revolution right now is the law of the jungle and we are paying the consequences. It's terrifying.P. He attended Columbia University, in the United States, which has one of the most prestigious communication schools in the world. What did you learn there? A. Above all, a way of doing journalism focused on the facts. I will always remember a teacher who told us: “The first thing you have to do when you enter a scene is write down what you see, what you hear, what you feel.”P. What will happen to journalism in the future? A. I think that fake news is going to save it and that any discipline aimed at separating what is true from what is false is going to have a very important weight, because it will serve to prevent us from plunging into a kind of collective madness. When I give talks at colleges, no kid wants to be a journalist. However, I encourage you and assure you that this will resurface.