Empordà

Empordà is a Catalan-language regional news brand based in Figueres, in the Alt Empordà comarca of Catalonia, Spain. It operates as a local and comarcal media outlet providing general and proximity information, with two main products: a weekly print newspaper, the Setmanari de l'Alt Empordà, and a digital news platform, Emporda.info. The publication is written in Catalan and serves the Alt Empordà area and the wider Girona region, covering local politics, culture, sports, opinion, and community affairs. The brand traces its origins to the democratic transition period in Spain. The Setmanari de l'Alt Empordà was first published in Figueres on 4 January 1978. Its editorial lineage connects to earlier publications such as Ampurdán, and its early team and editorial line overlapped with that prior title. During its first years, the publication was bilingual, with Spanish as the main language and only about one fifth of content in Catalan until 1980, after which Catalan became the vehicular language. In 1985 the publication moved from letterpress to rotary printing and created specific departments for management, commercial administration, editorial work, and services. In 2005, Editorial l'Empordà became part of the Editorial Prensa Ibérica group, a major Spanish regional newspaper publisher. The brand is also a member of the Associació Catalana de la Premsa Comarcal (ACPC), the Catalan association of comarcal press, and reports a weekly print run of around 3,035 copies. Empordà has received several journalism awards, including the Premi Avui de periodisme in 1991, the Premi Carles Rahola between 1992 and 1994, a second prize in Mobile Publishing in 2013, and the Premi Carles Rahola for best informative or divulgative work in written press in 2015 for "The Secret Life of Figueres." Its digital edition, Emporda.info, carries breaking news, culture, sports, opinion, and sponsored content, and has featured collaborations with brands such as Endesa and CUPRA. In December 2022, it became public that workers at the outlet had suffered workplace harassment by the company's former management over several years. The facts were reported to the Ministry of Labour through the UGT union. The brand remains active, with a newsroom led since September 2022 by Girona journalist Marc Verdaguer.

The history of Empordà is closely tied to the Setmanari de l'Alt Empordà, a Catalan-language comarcal weekly founded in Figueres on 4 January 1978, during Spain's democratic transition. The publication emerged from a media environment shaped by earlier titles such as Ampurdán, and its founding team and editorial line overlapped with that prior publication. In its first years, the weekly was bilingual, with Spanish as the main language and only about one fifth of its content written in Catalan until 1980. The democratic character of the new title was questioned by some anti-Francoist sectors, who criticized a lack of transparency in the process by which the new masthead appeared. The legacy of publications such as Canigó and Vida Parroquial was also present in the early stage. The outlet counted on contributions from prominent intellectual figures of the Empordà, including Montserrat Vayreda, Francesc Cruanyes Zafra, Jaume Miravitlles, Isabel Melchor, Maria Pilar Morales, and Florenci Rimalló. Its pages reflected the era through articles on women's emancipation and the role of religion, attempts to recover popular traditions such as Carnestoltes, and more delicate subjects such as the experiences of Empordà residents in the Mauthausen-Gusen camps. Trade union matters and delegate elections were also covered. In 1985 the publication moved from letterpress to rotary printing and created specific departments for management, commercial administration, editorial work, and services, aiming to improve its content and news coverage. Over the decades it passed through several directorships: initially Núria Munárriz, later Josep Capella and Josep Maria Bernils Vozmediano, and in the 2000s Santi Coll. Around that time Carles Ayats became manager of Editorial Empordà SL, the publishing company of the outlet. In 2007, designer and journalist Herminio Javier Fernández redesigned the graphics, with typographers of great prestige such as Matthew Carter, Hans Reichel, and Robert Slimbach creating the typefaces Miller Display, FF Dax, and Minion respectively. On 16 February 2005, Editorial l'Empordà became part of the Editorial Prensa Ibérica group, a major Spanish regional newspaper publisher. The brand is a member of the Associació Catalana de la Premsa Comarcal (ACPC) and reports a weekly print run of 3,035 copies. Its digital edition, Emporda.info, extends its reach online, covering local news, culture, sports, opinion, and sponsored content, with collaborations including Endesa and CUPRA. Empordà has received several journalism awards: the Premi Avui de periodisme in 1991; the Premi Carles Rahola between 1992 and 1994; a second prize in Mobile Publishing in 2013; and the Premi Carles Rahola for best informative or divulgative work in written press in 2015 for "The Secret Life of Figueres." In September 2022, there was a new leadership change, with Girona journalist Marc Verdaguer becoming director. In December 2022, it became public through a statement that workers had suffered workplace harassment by the former management for years. The facts were reported to the Ministry of Labour through the UGT union, which stated that workers had exposed an abuse of power aggravated by disrespect, belittlement, emotional blackmail, coercion, intimidation, and humiliation. Over nearly fifty years of history, dozens of editors and contributors have passed through its newsroom.

• Setmanari de l'Alt Empordà first published in Figueres during the democratic transition.

• Catalan becomes the vehicular language; until then Spanish was dominant with only about one fifth of content in Catalan.

• Move from letterpress to rotary printing and creation of specific departments for management, commercial administration, editorial work and services.

• Awarded the Premi Avui de periodisme.

• Awarded the Premi Carles Rahola.

• Editorial l'Empordà becomes part of the Editorial Prensa Ibérica group.

• Graphic redesign by Herminio Javier Fernández, with typefaces by Matthew Carter, Hans Reichel and Robert Slimbach.

• Second prize in Mobile Publishing.

• Premi Carles Rahola for best informative or divulgative work in written press for "The Secret Life of Figueres".

• Marc Verdaguer appointed director.

• Public statement reveals years of workplace harassment by former management; facts reported to the Ministry of Labour through UGT.

Catalan-language comarcal and local news brand offering general and proximity information for the Alt Empordà and Girona area, in print and digital.

• Setmanari de l'Alt Empordà

  Catalan-language comarcal weekly providing general and proximity information, with a print run of 3,035 copies.

• Emporda.info

  Online edition of the brand, covering local news, culture, sports, opinion and sponsored content.

• Workplace harassment allegations

Read more

1. 1EMPORDÀ | Últimes notícies de l'Empordà, Catalunya i el mónemporda.info
2. 2Setmanari de l'Alt Empordà - Viquipèdiaca.wikipedia.org
3. 3Empordà - Wikidatawikidata.org
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5. 5El jutjat anul·la la sanció de 10.001 euros de la Generalitat a Orriols per les declaracions sobre immigracióemporda.info
6. 6Inazio protagonitza un concert sorpresa sobre rodes per presentar la llançadora gratuïta del Jardín de las Deliciasemporda.info