Sonsoles Ónega, Award in Málaga after more than 20 years of Journalism

Sonsoles Ónega has received in Málaga the Manuel Alcántara International Award for a career spanning more than two decades in Journalism and Communication. The journalist, who participated remotely in the ceremony, took advantage of the recognition to send a direct message to new professionals: speed cannot replace truth. The event also honored Livia Drusila Castro for a multimedia report on migrants crossing Mexico on the train known as ‘La Bestia’.

An Award from Málaga for a career built across various formats

Why does this recognition matter for the University of Málaga?

The award has a direct connection to Málaga: it is organized by the University of Málaga (UMA) together with the Manuel Alcántara Foundation and Diario Sur. The ceremony was held at the university itself, with the participation of representatives from the three entities and the jury. For Málaga’s readers, it is not just an award given to a well-known television figure, but a distinction born in the province and linked to the legacy of a Málaga journalist and writer.

The presentation included the UMA Vice-Rector for Culture, Rosario Gutiérrez; the president of the Manuel Alcántara Foundation, Antonio Pedraza; the deputy director of Diario Sur, Juan Cano; and Professor Juan Francisco Gutiérrez, secretary of the jury. The composition of the event reflects the alliance between university, journalism, and culture that supports the award.

Ónega received the distinction for her professional career in the field of Journalism and Communication. The jury focused on her more than two decades of career and on three specific qualities: rigor, versatility, and the ability to transfer journalistic resources to widely viewed television formats.

What did the jury value in Sonsoles Ónega?

The evaluation is not limited to her presence in front of the cameras. The jury highlighted her use of journalistic tools such as the interview, context searching, conversation with current protagonists, and explanation of complex issues. In other words: the award recognizes a way of storytelling, not just a long tenure in the media.

The award information also notes a career linked to radio, documentaries, and literature. Among the documentary works cited is 15M, Lost Generation?, alongside a parallel literary activity. This combination helps to understand why the recognition speaks of versatility: the career crosses different media without neglecting journalistic work.

The journalist participated in the ceremony remotely and thanked the recognition by remembering those who have helped her throughout her career, especially women. The gesture shifted the focus from the individual award to a career accompanied by other professionals and collaborators. A brief detail, but with weight.

Ónega’s message: time, truth, and journalistic craft

What did she ask of Young Journalists?

Ónega encouraged young journalists not to give up in a profession she defined as “hard, difficult, and poorly paid”. Her message was not a polite ceremonial phrase but a warning about the conditions and demands of a profession that requires maintaining judgment even when current events push to publish as soon as possible.

The journalist also warned about the importance of not “confusing speed with truth”. The phrase summarizes a very recognizable tension in any newsroom: being first may seem like a victory, but quick and poorly verified information loses what gives it journalistic value.

In the same vein, she defended “the need to take time to be faithful to reality.” The idea connects with the very name of the award and the legacy the Manuel Alcántara Foundation seeks to preserve: a writing and journalistic practice attentive to context, people, and nuances.

What is the Award’s relation to social media?

Ónega encouraged new professionals to “not replace newspapers with social media.” The statement does not eliminate the value of digital platforms, but it does mark a difference between the channel through which news circulates and the work necessary to verify, explain, and place it in context.

For the reader, the consequence is clear. A publication may arrive in seconds, but that does not guarantee it includes all the necessary elements to understand what happened. The interview, documentation, and explanation of complex issues—three resources cited by the jury—remain part of the craft even if the format changes.

There lies the most current reading of the recognition granted in Málaga: journalism can adapt to television, radio, documentaries, or digital environments, but it should not give up verification. Haste makes noise; context leaves a mark.

The Award to Livia Drusila Castro completes the call

What work received the 'Young Journalists' award?

The second aspect of the Manuel Alcántara International Award has distinguished Livia Drusila Castro for the multimedia report The Death Train: This Is the Journey of Migrants from Mexico to the US Despite Trump’s Threat, published in Diario Público. The work addresses the journey of migrants through Mexico aboard ‘La Bestia,’ the freight train used by those attempting to reach the United States.

The jury valued its “outstanding narrative power” and the human value of its documentary pieces. It also highlighted the combination of text, photographs, and a 20-minute audiovisual production, a mix presented as an example of multimedia reporting.

The structure of the report allows telling the route through various journalistic languages. It does not rely solely on text: it adds images and an extensive audiovisual piece to bring the audience closer to the stories of those crossing Mexico under especially difficult conditions.

What risks does the report on ‘La Bestia’ document?

The work documents the dangers of the route, including kidnappings, violence, disappearances, and extreme conditions. It also addresses the consequences of the tightening of U.S. migration policies and shows how these decisions affect people who already face a journey marked by insecurity.

The report also incorporates the work of Las Patronas, the group of women who provide aid, food, and shelter to migrants crossing Mexico. Their presence adds a human dimension to the narrative and shows a support network situated alongside a route of enormous hardship.

Castro is specialized in documentary reporting and audiovisual narratives with a social and human rights focus. She has covered political and migration issues on the ground in Mexico, Cuba, Chile, and Western Sahara, and lives in Mexico City, where she works as a producer and director for RTVE for Central America.

The two award categories draw a continuity: on one hand, an established career like that of Sonsoles Ónega; on the other, the work of a young journalist who uses different formats to tell social stories. Antonio Pedraza, president of the Manuel Alcántara Foundation, explained that this dual approach allows recognizing both stages and helps preserve the legacy of the Málaga journalist and writer.

The recognition of Sonsoles Ónega places in Málaga a conversation about rigor, context, and time for informing, while the award to Livia Drusila Castro vindicates multimedia reporting and the human value of telling difficult stories. The UMA ceremony thus unites a career of more than two decades with a new generation still seeking ways to explain reality without losing sight of its protagonists.