Journalist Victoria Prego, honorary doctor from the URJC, dies

Newsroom

Victoria Prego, one of the most prominent communicators of the Spanish journalistic scene and especially of the Spanish Transition, was invested Dr. Honorary by the URJC on January 24, 2018. On the occasion of his doctorate, the URJC recorded this interview in which she explained how important this recognition was for her and the “uncertain” moment that Spanish journalism is going through, assessments that remain absolutely topical today.

Speech dedicated to social networks

Before a packed assembly hall, Victoria Prego dedicated her speech investment to the impact of social networks in the world of information and in society. The then president of the Madrid Press Association dedicated her words to pointing out that “without free, honest and truthful journalism there is no democracy that lasts.” The doctor added that we must "maintain our position" at a time when "users access information more through digital platforms than through the media." According to Prego, in her speech, “social media users receive information mixed with all types of messages. Prego asked for “time to vindicate the role of journalists in free and democratic societies.”

A life dedicated to journalism

Victoria Prego, born in Madrid in 1948, studied Political Science and Journalism, and in 1974 she joined Spanish Television, where she began her professional career in the International section of News Services. Shortly afterward she began working at the 2 Ella news agency. In 1976 she was appointed head of the International Section, and later she spent two years in London as a correspondent for TVE.

Returning to Spain, she began to be known by the general public by presenting Telediario3 and the program 'Al closing' with Joaquín Arozamena, where she proposed a new style of reporting combining closeness and more time dedicated to political information.

Between the early and mid-80s he presented “The Art of Living” directed by Miguel Ángel Gozalo. At the same time and in 1983 he premiered the space 'Españoles', in which he interviewed important personalities from the political, economic, social and cultural life of Spain at the time. It is also at that time that he began to collaborate with the magazine 'Interviú'.

Later, in the mid-80s, he devoted himself significantly to radio, taking charge of the daily news program on Radio Nacional de España, as well as the political analysis space 'El Reloj'. Also on TVE, he hosted 'Debate'.

It is at that moment in his career when he began to prepare the documentary series 'La Transition' for Spanish Television, which is one of the most important milestones of his career. This series was not going to premiere until 1995.

Also in the mid-90s, he directed and presented the debate program 'Un momento por favor' for Telemadrid and Canal Sur.

Shortly after, he arrived at Antena 3 Televisión, the network where he developed a large part of his career and where he made, coinciding with the twentieth anniversary of Franco's death and the accession to the Throne of the King, Juan Carlos I, a series of documentaries. . In that private network she also collaborated as a political analyst in several programs such as 'El Primer Café' directed by Antonio San José and with Isabel San Sebastián, between 2000 and 2003.  

He combined his work on television with the Deputy Director of the politics section of the newspaper El Mundo, in which he wrote a daily opinion and analysis column. In 2005 and until 2015 she served as assistant to director Pedro J. Ramírez. She continued her relationship with El Mundo during 2015-2016, mainly in its digital version, in which she published political analysis articles on a regular basis.

Since 2005 he debuted as an analyst on the TVE program 'Los breakfasts de TVE', a collaboration to which he added, since 2006 his participation in 'Madrid opina' and 'Alto y Claro', both political gatherings on Telemadrid, since 2009 he also collaborated in 'Around the World', by Veo7.

On radio he collaborates in the space 'La brújula', between 2001 and 2002 and participated in different COPE programs.

In the last years of her career she was deputy to the director of the digital newspaper “El Independiente”.

Victoria Prego is also the author of several books on the Transition and has received numerous awards and recognitions throughout her professional life, including the "That's the Way It Was. The Rescued History" Award for a book in which she reconstructed the history of democracy and in which he interviewed all the presidents elected up to that time. She has also been deserving of the Luca de Tena Award.