Periodisme desestabilitzador: L'estil periodístic de M. C. Reyna

Periodisme desestabilitzador. L'estil perodístic de M. C. Reyna

On the Origin of Metaphors

In this article I study the genesis of metaphors from an evolutionary perspective. Analyzing 414 cartoons published after the death of the cartoonists of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, I propose a metaphoric founder effect with the metaphors “PENCIL IS A WEAPON,” “PENCIL IS A CARTOONIST,” and “PENCIL IS FREEDOM,” and a subsequent metaphor drift that creates many related metaphors. Additionally, the success of these metaphors turns the pencil meme into a very efficient and fast-spreading item representing not only the work of cartoonists, but also the fundamental values of Western culture, such as freedom of expression.

Taking climate change seriously: An analysis of op-ed articles in Spanish press

In this article, we study the evolution of opinion genres regarding climate change in three Spanish newspapers ( El País, El Mundo, and ABC). Analyzing the op-ed articles in these newspapers, we observe a significant change in the evolution of opinion. While denialism was very present in conservative press in 2007, 7 years later it is almost absent from El Mundo, and its presence in ABC is much lower and inactive: this shows that scientific consensus has prevailed over time and Spanish denialism has weakened, exclusively supported by political arguments by the most conservative parties.

La visita

Número monogràfic dedicat al centenari del naixement de Joan Fuster, amb col·laboracions de Xavier Pla, Antoni Furió, Gustau Muñoz, Joan Ramon Resina, Toni Mollà, Enric Iborra, Francesc Viadel, Salvador Vendrell, Teresa Muñoz Lloret, Ernest Belenguer, Ferran Archilés, Pau Viciano, Antoni Rico, Josep L. Gómez Mompart, Jan Brugueras, Joan F. Mira, Martí Domínguez, Juli Capilla, Xavier Antich, Enric Balaguer, Enric Bou, Margarida Castellano, Antoni Defez, Anna Esteve, Maria Àngels Francès, Tobies Grimaltos, Pere Antoni Pons, Joan Ramon Resina, Mercè Rius, Quim Torra, Joan Manuel Tresserras i Josep Ballester.

Women Scientists as Decor: The Image of Scientists in Spanish Press Pictures

Women are still less present in scientific areas than men. This study analyzes the visual representation of women scientists in Spanish press and concludes that they are also underrepresented in newspapers. We analyze 1,134 photographs published in 2014 and 2015 in the science news sections of the four largest distribution Spanish newspapers. A tendency to present men more often as the protagonists of the information and women as a visual resource is also observed. This text proposes the need for the media to be aware of such underrepresentation and to match the number of men and women in graphic materials.

From sweeteners to cell phones—Cancer myths and beliefs among journalism undergraduates

OBJECTIVE The media are an important source of health information that can help people make their own medical decisions. However, medical news can also transmit biases produced by different factors, such as the previously held beliefs of journalists. This study identifies which cancer myths are more popular among future journalists and whether their beliefs are related to their chosen source of health information. METHODS A survey was conducted among journalism undergraduates (N = 249) to determine which cancer myths existed and how widespread they were. The survey included a list with different sources of health information and eight questions regarding cancer-related myths. RESULTS The mo…

Life in a nutshell: evolution of a migratory metaphor in Spanish cartoons

This article studies the image of the boat immigrants use to cross the Strait of Gibraltar, which separates Europe and Africa, through the analysis of 125 cartoons published in Spanish press between 2006 and 2012. Our study shows that in this span of seven years – which coincides with a period of growth for Spanish economy and the subsequent crisis – there was an interesting and meaningful conceptual evolution regarding the image of the immigrant boat. This situation resulted in argumentatively effective visual analogies, metaphors and metonymies which evolved all along this period, making this boat a cultural symbol of our time. The article also intends to highlight the importance of cart…

Examen del columnisme valencià. Els gèneres d opinió en els mitjans escrits valencians

Entre l’estigma i la frivolitat: El Dia Mundial del Càncer en la premsa espanyola

El cancer es un tema d’interes destacat per a la ciutadania. Els mitjans de comunicacio, en tant que reflex i alhora conformadors de valors socials, transmeten una visio de la malaltia que no sempre es la mes acurada i clarificadora. En aquest article s’analitza la repercussio mediatica durant la darrera decada del Dia Mundial del Cancer als quatre diaris d’informacio general amb major difusio a Espanya. L’objectiu es estudiar de quina manera es fa us de l’efemeride per a oferir informacio relativa a la malaltia i si el tractament informatiu es precis i rigoros o cau en l’estereotip i el sensacionalisme.

sj-pdf-1-pus-10.1177_0963662521992508 – Supplemental material for Worlds apart, drawn together: Bears, penguins and biodiversity in climate change cartoons

Supplemental material, sj-pdf-1-pus-10.1177_0963662521992508 for Worlds apart, drawn together: Bears, penguins and biodiversity in climate change cartoons by Sara Moreno-Tarín, Tatiana Pina and Martí Domínguez in Public Understanding of Science

Naturaleza y símbolo: la interpretación de la naturaleza en la pintura del Renacimiento

Inicios del columnismo ambiental en la prensa española: La campaña de Las Provincias sobre la urbanización de El Saler (Valencia, España)

El artículo analiza los inicios del periodismo ambiental, concretamente en el ámbito de los géneros de opinión en prensa escrita. Se parte, para ello, de la campaña que, durante 1973 y 1974, el periódico regional Las Provincias llevó a cabo en contra de la urbanización de la Dehesa de El Saler. El trabajo se centra en las columnas de sus periodistas y colaboradores, así como en las cartas al director, por entender que el diario consiguió crear un clima de opinión favorable a la protección de ese bosque litoral, convirtiéndose así en la primera acción importante que la prensa española realizó sobre una cuestión medioambiental.; The article analyses the beginnings of environmental journalism,…

Worlds apart, drawn together: Bears, penguins and biodiversity in climate change cartoons

This study shows how cartoonists use iconic and stereotypical animals in their works to reflect society’s knowledge about the effects of climate change. Studying 1022 climate change cartoons including depictions of animals, we noticed that there is very little biodiversity depicted in cartoons. Cartoonists generally avoid using animals indigenous to their own countries; this point is especially true regarding the low presence of insects and other invertebrates. This text also encourages cartoonists to adhere to some recommendations to improve climate change communication. These guidelines are (1) using indigenous wildlife, (2) depicting invertebrate wildlife, (3) improving their knowledge …

Einstein Versus Neutrinos

This article focuses on the news coverage given to the CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) announcement that neutrinos might exceed the speed of light, flying in the face of Albert Einstein’s theory. By studying 140 cartoons about the news item published between the CERN’s announcement at the end of September 2011 up until its refutation in February 2012, we selected 33 devoted to Albert Einstein. We study the iconographic use of Einstein’s figure, and how the suggestion he might have been wrong stirred up greater interest among the cartoonists than when it was proven his ideas are still fully in force.

Spanish Darwinian iconography: Darwin and evolutionism portrayed in Spanish press cartoons.

The theory of evolution has played a major role in the press since it was put forward by Charles Darwin in 1859. Its key role in biology and human philosophy is reflected by its presence in press cartoons, sections where the image of social reality is depicted in a more direct and satirical light. Through cartoons, artists have used their ingenuity or wit to portray one of the most controversial scientific figures of the past two centuries. This study examines the views portrayed by Spanish cartoonists about Charles Darwin and evolutionary theory in 2009, the bicentenary of the naturalist’s birth and the celebration of 150 years since the publication of On the Origin of Species. These cart…

"Las provincias" and the foundations of Valencian environmentalism. The columns by Maria Consuelo Reyna on El Saler and the Turia river bed

Aquest article se centra en les columnes d’opinio que Maria Consuelo Reyna va dedicar en Las Provincias a la urbanitzacio projectada en la Devesa del Saler i al llit del riu Turia, en la primera meitat dels anys setanta. A traves de les seues columnes, la periodista va construir un discurs contrari a la urbanitzacio i en defensa de l’espai verd, i va orquestrar la campanya del diari que va concloure finalment amb la paralitzacio del pla urbanitzador del Saler i amb la conversio del llit del riu Turia en un espai verd. Una etapa en la qual Reyna utilitza ja els recursos que desenvolupara mes tard en els anys vuitanta durant la Batalla de Valencia i que la convertiran en una figura clau de la…

The metaphorical species: Evolution, adaptation and speciation of metaphors

Studying cartoons about the economic crisis and focusing on a pair of scissors as a symbol, I prove how they first turn into unambiguous metaphor for the economic crisis and then experience an evolution in order to adapt to new communication contexts. Along these processes, they undergo more complex changes such as coadaptation and speciation. This has allowed for the scissors meme as a symbol of economic cutbacks to permeate society, and for its metaphorical use to occupy many disparate communication scenarios, unlike other symbolic elements that were also used, but turned out to be less cognitively efficient and therefore offered fewer evolutionary possibilities.

Incendiary Humor: Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Politics in Wildfire Cartoons

The rose and the name: the unresolved debate on biotechnological terms

The largest survey on the perception of synthetic biology‐related disciplines (Porcar et al., 2019,EMBO Rep 20) recently revealed that the Spanish society does not have a very positive perception of the term synthetic biology. On the other hand, the terms biotechnology and even genetic engineering received relatively higher scores. The issue of nomenclature and perception is a classical one in science perception studies. Synthetic biologists have been debating their neologism (Synthetic Biology, from now on SB) for years. Even in a 2006 blog, Rob Carlson discussed the various labels for the new field, such as intentional biology, constructive biology, natural engineering, synthetic genomics…

Giving meaning to illness and death

Words, images and gender

Financial support from the European CSA on biological standardization BIOROBOOST (EU grant number 820699, http://standardsinsynbio.eu) is acknowledged. EMM is funded with a Formacion de Profesorado Universitario (FPU) grant from the Spanish Government (Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades), with reference FPU17/04184. ALP is a recipient of a Doctorado Industrial fellowship from the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades (Spain), with reference DI‐17‐09613.

Protons for Jehovah’s Witnesses? How press coverage of Ashya King’s case brought proton beam therapy to the public arena

The case of Ashya King, the child brain tumour patient whose parents took from a British hospital so he could be treated with Proton Beam Therapy (PBT) abroad, contributed to popularize that technology among a general audience. Through the content analysis of British and Spanish press coverage (N=329), our research shows that proton therapy enjoyed scarce coverage in the analysed media before Ashya King’s case. His story, magnified due to the fact that his parents were Jehovah’s witnesses was a cause both for public concern and media sensationalism. We show that the case brought PBT into the public sphere and, consequently, contributed to create a demand for facilities that offered this the…

Entre l’estigma i la frivolitat: El Dia Mundial del Càncer en la premsa espanyola

El càncer és un tema d’interès destacat per a la ciutadania. Els mitjans de comunicació, en tant que reflex i alhora conformadors de valors socials, transmeten una visió de la malaltia que no sempre és la més acurada i clarificadora. En aquest article s’analitza la repercussió mediàtica durant la darrera dècada del Dia Mundial del Càncer als quatre diaris d’informació general amb major difusió a Espanya. L’objectiu és estudiar de quina manera es fa ús de l’efemèride per a oferir informació relativa a la malaltia i si el tractament informatiu és precís i rigorós o cau en l’estereotip i el sensacionalisme.

The Metaphorical New Synthesis: Toward an Eco-Evolutionary Theory of Metaphors

ABSTRACTMetaphors are a genuinely human construction. They are used to improve communication and they are a very powerful tool that might have an influence in human evolution. In this article I argue that metaphors, transformed in powerful memes, adapt to a new communicative niche and contribute to transform it. In order to prove this hypothesis, I study 319 cartoons published in the wake of the Germanwings air crash, where I inventory 144 metaphors. The study shows the conceptual metaphor evolution for a period of 2 weeks, and how the metaphors changed as a result of the variations in the communicative niche, becoming much more efficient communicatively.

She-Coronavirus: How cartoonists reflected women health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Women account for 70% of healthcare workers, so their role has been – and still is – fundamental in addressing and managing the current pandemic event caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Far from being an opportunity to highlight the importance of women in the field, the healthcare crisis, together with lockdown policies and care responsibilities, have contributed to increase the gender gap. To study the depiction of women healthcare professionals, this paper analyses 401 cartoons on the COVID-19 pandemic that depict healthcare workers. Most represent doctors as men and nurses as women, in roles subordinate to men. The representation of women is also impacted by stereotypes that do not c…

Evolution of metaphors: Phylogeny of oil slick cartoons in Spanish press

The main purpose of this article is to analyze the evolution of a metaphor set over time. By studying cartoons about the oil slick caused by the Prestige oil tanker in 2002 on Spanish shores and the subsequent court decision in 2013, we observe a progressive metaphor diversification and evolution, with the oil slick as an old common trait. Additionally, using basic cladistical methods, we propose a phylogenetic tree for the metaphor set, from a common ancestor to the subsequent diversification regarding news content. These results show that phylogenetic models can be very helpful in understanding the evolution of conceptual metaphors, and this method of analysis could even be a methodologi…

La retòrica en el periodisme de María Consuelo Reyna: l'anticatalanisme en la premsa valenciana

En el següent article es realitza una anàlisi dels recursos i els tipus d'argumentacions utilitzats en les columnes de María Consuelo Reyna en el diari Las Provincias entre 1978 i 1999. Les seues columnes van destacar per l'estil agressiu i directe, i van condicionar en gran mesura el desenvolupament de la transició política al País Valencià. Durant la seua etapa al capdavant del diari, María Consuelo Reyna va tenir una gran influència en la política valenciana, i es va convertir en una de les artífexs de la Batalla de València i, finalment, de l'arribada d'Eduardo Zaplana a la presidència de la Generalitat Valenciana.

Unravelling environment and politics in the Spanish press. From Franco’s dictatorship to democracy

The 1970s and 1980s were key years for the consolidation of environmentalism and environmental communication. In Spain, the special political situation during General Franco’s military dictatorship conditioned the coverage of environmental issues, as did the transition to democracy. The Albufera Natural Park (Valencia, Spain) was a particularly significant case in this context, since it was involved in one of the first environmental protests to protect a natural area covered by Spanish media. In this paper, we study opinion articles published in the Valencian newspapers Las Provincias and Levante, in order to analyze the evolution of the environmental discourse in Spanish society from the d…

Estratègies periodístiques per a la difusió de la ciència: de l'article científic al divulgatiu

Nowadays, the popularisation of science is just another side of many scientists' work that think that the communication of their findings to society is necessary. However, some scientists, used to the schematic rigidity of the scientific research paper, seem to have trouble writing in a more accessible language. In this paper, some of the most common mistakes made by researchers when writing popular science texts are shown. The best method to follow when it comes to prepare rigorous as well as attractive and amusing texts for the general public is also shown.

sj-pdf-1-pus-10.1177_0963662521992508 – Supplemental material for Worlds apart, drawn together: Bears, penguins and biodiversity in climate change cartoons

Supplemental material, sj-pdf-1-pus-10.1177_0963662521992508 for Worlds apart, drawn together: Bears, penguins and biodiversity in climate change cartoons by Sara Moreno-Tarín, Tatiana Pina and Martí Domínguez in Public Understanding of Science

Las provincias i l'inici de l'ecologisme valencià. Les columnes de María Consuelo Reyna sobre El Saler i el llit del riu Túria

Aquest article se centra en les columnes d'opinió que María Consuelo Reyna va dedicar en Las Provincias a la urbanització projectada en la Devesa del Saler i al llit del riu Túria, en la primera meitat dels anys setanta. A través de les seues columnes, la periodista va construir un discurs contrari a la urbanització i en defensa de l'espai verd, i va orquestrar la campanya del diari que va concloure finalment amb la paralització del pla urbanitzador del Saler i amb la conversió del llit del riu Túria en un espai verd. Una etapa en la qual Reyna utilitza ja els recursos que desenvoluparà més tard en els anys vuitanta durant la Batalla de València i que la convertiran en una figura clau de la…

Crònica raonada d’un gran desgavell. Ressenya del llibre "La desconnexió valenciana", de Toni Mollà

En el número 48 de la revista L'Espill trobaràs un dossier monogràfic sobre "Cap a un col·lapse de la civilització industrial?", amb contribucions d'Antonio Turiel, Luc Semal, Ernest Garcia, Paul R. Ehrlich, Anne H. Ehrlich i Alain Gras. A més, articles d'Antoni Mora, François Rastier, Simona Škrabec, Joan Ramon Resina, Jacobo Muñoz Veiga, Faust Ripoll Domènech, Tobies Grimaltos Mascarós i Narcís Selles Rigat, així com documents del Manifest «Darrera crida», un full de dietari de Vicent Alonso i una conversa amb Tomàs Llorens.