The Evolution of the Newspaper Industry in Spain, 1939-87

The treatment of news as an ideological product and/or `merchandise' depends on the political and economic context in which journalism operates. This statement can be more fully elaborated if the role of the newspaper industry in Spain is examined. Taking three periods — the Franco regime (1939-75), the period of transition to democracy (1975-84), and the period between 1984 and the present day — it is apparent that the organization and operation of the newspaper industry, and its ability to control the news product, differs according to the degree of dependence on the state. This article analyses the changing relationship between the state and the newspaper industry in the Francoist and post-Francoist periods.