State Media System and National Identity of the Population of the Regions (on the Example of Catalonia)

Abstract

The study examined the specifics of the formation and functioning of the media system of Catalonia. One of the most important factors of this topic is the problem of national identity. The characteristic of the regional media system is the coverage of facts that relate to the national identity of Catalonia and the techniques used in media coverage (including government support for the use of the Catalan language in the media). The national identity of Catalonia is partly the result of the transformation of the media system throughout the historical period. From the Franco regime to the present day, there has been an increasing trend in the formation of national identity in the media sphere. The relevance of the study is determined by the situation in Catalonia and the position of the majority of its separatist inhabitants, which contributes to the development of the region's media system. The issue addresses the history of the development of separatist sentiments in the media sphere of the region and factors that influenced its formation, as well as its current state. We examined the role of the media in maintaining and developing separatist sentiments in the region and, in particular, in the key events of recent years related to national self-identification. The way to address the problem is to establish interaction between the region and Spain and provide mutual support of such sentiments on the part of the population. It is these factors associated with the struggle for national identity that influence the role and nature of the Catalan media system both in the historical context and now. We found that the development trend of the media sphere of Catalonia throughout its existence did not change and had a separatist orientation, and its main role now is to maintain such sentiments in the region. The study revealed that history of the region’s struggle for its dependence influenced the formation and nature of media system.