Ramon Besa: "We need to recover, restore our credibility and the desire to be a journalist"

More than 300 people filled the Aula Magna and an adjacent room to attend the investiture ceremony of Ramon Besa, a journalist born in Perafita in the Lluçanès region, as a new Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC). The ceremony was chaired by the rector Josep-Eladi Baños, who was accompanied by the president of the Balmes University Foundation (FUB) and mayor of Vic, Anna Erra, was the most well-attended of its type that has taken place at the University.

Besa, who was accompanied by a large contingent of friends, fellow journalists and relatives whom he thanked for attending, assured those present that this Doctorate Honoris Causa is the most extraordinary thing that has ever happened to him, and he justified this on the grounds that it is "very grand, gratifying and because it allows me to rediscover and reconcile myself to this city," which he said allowed him to be a journalist. The new doctor studied at the Seminary in Vic, and in that environment of "vocations," he and his mother were persuaded by the authorities there that "in life he would be a journalist or nothing at all." With that conviction in mind, he began his career in 1975 at El 9 Nou, where he was a member of the founding team and "covered the Osona and Ripollès region."

"The business model has collapsed"

In a speech full of tributes to his fellow journalists, who he described as a "privileged generation", Besa also mentioned the current situation of "the trade," which he said has become a "university degree." He also argued that "the business model has collapsed," since "we are no longer trusted by people, they don't believe us, they don't buy us because we have gone from the culture of effort to the culture of whatever comes free of charge," he concluded.

He recommended "restoring credibility and the desire to be a journalist" to prevent the difficulties and vulnerability that Besa says is "the result of being the interpreters rather than the bearers of the news." He argued that this situation is the result of "the bad habit of not getting up from the chair to write the news," which is why he regretted to say that some "young journalists don't read and don't have the encyclopaedic commitment that the profession requires." His advice to all journalists is "to try to be honest and decent, to have some ethics and above all, to be faithful to the by-line" - a formula that has enabled him to say that working in the profession "has been worth the effort." Today he still feels "as happy as the boy from Perafita who waited excitedly for the long distance bus in order to read the newspaper, and for night to fall to listen to the radio."

"A leading reporter in this country"

Besa's investiture as a doctor honoris causa was the result of a proposal by the Faculty of Business and Communication Studies. The dean of the Faculty, Elisenda Tarrats, who was the sponsor of the doctoral candidate, explained that this recognition is due to "his work as a journalist, for his love of the region and his virtues, and as an example of the practice of sports journalism conveying values aimed at the improvement of society." The UVic-UCC lecturer and researcher, Xavier Ginesta, who gave the laudatory speech, described Besa as "one of this country's leading reporters" who has given the academic field of journalism "painstaking work in various journalistic genres, a combination of journalism and literature, a profound knowledge of football and FC Barcelona, and in-depth sports journalism that shuns easy headlines, tribalism and sensationalism."

Ginesta also described Besa as an "ambassador for the region," and for his native Lluçanès in particular, and an advocate "of local journalism, with a local perspective but with a global vocation." He reminded those present that Besa was part of the founding team of "El9 Nou, and from there he moved on to the editorial staff of Avui and later worked for El País, where he is currently the editor in chief in Barcelona. 

"A man of his region"

The rector of the UVic-UCC, Josep Eladi Baños, welcomed Ramon Besa to the cloister of doctors of the University and described him as "a man of his region." According to Baños, the welcome is particularly deserved as he is a "good model for students of journalism and of any profession, because high standards must always be applied in all professions." These are values, said Baños, which the University has adopted "as a model for the community of students, teaching staff and service professionals."

The president of the Board of Trustees of the FUB and mayor of Vic, Anna Erra, said that Besa's new doctorate made it "a very important day." In addition, she said that with this gesture, the University "has recognised and highlighted the talent of a person who comes from our local environment." Erra described Besa as an example of "perseverance, commitment and love for his profession." 

The event also included two contributions that came as a surprise to Besa. First, the editor of El 9 Nou and a personal friend of Besa, Agustí Danés, reviewed the new doctor's early days in his profession at the twice-weekly publication where he "observed and asked questions" - actions which according to Danes are "the essence of journalism" to which "we too often tend to qualify." He was followed by the university professor in history at Pompeu Fabra University and patron of the Balmes University Foundation, Joaquim Albareda, who also spoke after Besa, in his speech, described him as "a great student who I consider my elder brother." According to Albareda, Besa is a "noble person and a restless spirit" who because of his "spirited personality and his commitment to the country and the region," is a worthy recipient of this recognition, which according to his friend, "has been a wise decision that honours the UVic-UCC."