The Press and Main Street: El Pais-Journalism in Democratic Spain

In a nation that had no tradition of free speech, Juan Luis Cebrian has not only established El Pais as a model liberal newspaper but also made it the measure of Spanish democracy. The Press and Main Street is a collection of essays originally published in Spanish under the title La Prensa y La Calle: Escritos sobre Periodismo. Juan Luis Cebrian is one of Europe’s most respected journalist-publishers. He draws on extensive experience in journalism from the period of the Franco dictatorship to the very recent reforms of Spanish society and her entry into the modern European community. Essay topics range from the complexities of operating a free press to the vagaries of letters to the editor and public opinion. Newly included is a chapter written for this edition that compares the press in the United States with that in Spain. All the essays are well-crafted messages of considerable importance to anyone interested in the press, Spain, or the relationship of politics to journalism.