With or without you: The role of personal affinity in relationships between journalists and politicians in Spain.

Abstract

Informal relationships between journalists and politicians have a strategic function in the process of news-making. The aim of this article is to analyse the role of personal affinity between the media and politicians in Spain. This study focuses on the following three specific issues: self-definition of their interactions, degree of influence, and main professional risks and benefits detected. The methodology is based on 45 in-depth interviews (22 journalists, 16 politicians and 7 spin-doctors). The novelty of this article is the analysis of not only the views of journalists but also the perceptions of the political actors. The results demonstrate the relevance and influence of affinity relationships between journalists and politicians. The two types of actors are highlighted as main beneficiaries of direct access to high-quality information sources or the ability to achieve positive news coverage. However, certain risks are also linked to these informal relationships.