The image of Spain in NO-DO documentaries (1943-1956), a geographical study

Abstract

The period between 1943 and 1956 was an exceptional time when a single news programme, NO-DO, was the only authorised medium for providing moving images of both the outside world and Spain. It was the only authorised source that, updated weekly, fed the spatial imagination of Spaniards. The study aims to analyse the news and reports on Spain broadcast by NO-DO during those years. This data, conveniently mapped, provides an overview of the spatial distribution of 4797 news items at the municipal level. By examining the content and applying a location coefficient based on the primary themes of the news and reports, the research reveals a Spain that is repeatedly filmed, in contrast to other territories that receive little cinematic attention. In the context of post-war Spain and the early stages of the Franco regime, this work demonstrates NO-DO’s role in projecting an image where specific regions were primarily associated with certain themes, be they industrial, religious or leisure-related. The study concludes with recommendations for the subsequent period, 1957-1975, during which NO-DO coexisted with new sources of moving images, such as television.