The journalist Carlos del Amor (Murcia, 51 years old), deputy head of Culture for RTVE news, has a special style that makes his audiovisual pieces perfectly recognizable. The jury of the National Prize for Cultural Journalism has appreciated this “own, original and creative narrative style, which brings cultural content closer to a mass audience without losing rigor or quality” to award it this year’s award. It is awarded by the Ministry of Culture and has a budget of 30,000 euros.
On the phone, the journalist is ecstatic. “I didn’t expect it, I knew I had once been in a pool, but I didn’t expect it. I’m very grateful,” he says. Minutes earlier he had received a call from Ernest Urtasun, Minister of Culture, a phone number that he did not identify and that he thought was a package delivery person (cultural journalists receive many packages, especially books). When the minister introduced himself, the journalist asked himself “let’s see what happened.” The news this time was himself.
Del Amor attributes part of his success to working where he works, on public television that allows him to do things like a 10-minute Reina Sofía museum special, a 15-minute Pablo Picasso special, a walk through the Sagrada Familia or the New Year’s Eve special. “In addition, I think it is an award for the television medium, which is not usually distinguished for these reasons,” says the journalist. Other winners in previous editions have been Rosana Torres, Sergio Vila-Sanjuán, Juan Cruz, Ana Borderas, Jesús Marchamalo, Diego A. Manrique and Jacinto Antón.
The jury delves into the reasons for the award: “His commitment to promoting the arts, his ability to narrate culture in an accessible way and his ability to discover the extraordinary in the everyday,” the minutes say. Where does this come from Love style? “The truth is that I’m not clear about it,” responds the winner, “it’s a way of looking that I have like other people have theirs. The TV is on in the back houses and many times people don’t watch it. I try to make at least whoever is present raise their head. We take care of every minute like a piece of goldsmithing,” says the one who was also the host of the talk show. The mathematics of the mirror.
Carlos del Amor began in journalism in his native Murcia, first doing Sports, although he soon ended up in the Culture section, where he now tries to “start from the details, look behind, not follow the press release.” Listening, of course, is the fundamental piece in a discipline, cultural journalism, “where the most flexible language is allowed and you can experiment and do somewhat more literary journalism,” according to the journalist, also successful for books like Portrait you, Get excited o an unknown ladyall published by Espasa..
What is this cultural journalism thing for? “Well, to give a voice to those creators who give us refuge and make our daily lives more bearable. Both to the great established voices and those who are just starting out and who we must also make room for,” Del Amor concludes.