Jordi Basté Shares Career Insights, Catalan Language Concerns in Andorra Talk

Jordi Basté, the top-rated host of *El Món* on RAC1, shared personal insights on his career, the Catalan language and his visits to Andorra during a candid conversation at the Centre de Congressos in Andorra la Vella on Saturday afternoon.

Around 50 people attended the event in the consòrcia hall, moderated by Andorran journalist Gabriel Fernández. Local officials, including the consuls of Andorra la Vella, Sergi González and Olalla Losada, along with several communal councillors, were among the audience. Basté arrived in good spirits, joking about the drive from Cerdanya—"the Catalans complain about Rodalies, but that road has its challenges"—and praising Andorra's food, friends and shopping, despite local denials.

He traced his rise from sports journalism to leading high-audience radio shows, crediting hard work, intuition and vocation. Describing a pivotal moment, he recalled advice from journalist and writer Xavier Bosch as "like a push into a pool." To young aspiring journalists, he advised: if you enjoy it, keep going.

On his future at RAC1, Basté was candid about his uncertainties. "I'd like to say I'm stepping away, but I'm not sure," he said, outlining his decision-making process with a personal pros-and-cons list akin to a SWOT analysis. What weighs heaviest in his mind will decide. For now, he plans to continue, citing his strong team and the pleasure he still takes in the work.

Basté revealed his daily routine, waking at 4:24 a.m.—"always even numbers, it's my OCD"—and staying up late to watch football matches from Barcelona, Real Madrid, Espanyol and Girona. To combat sleep issues, he stocks up on melatonin in Andorra "for two years," even recommending it to writer Quim Monzó, who has used it nightly for over a decade.

Addressing journalism, he defended traditional media's role amid social networks' pressures, noting how information now expires in 24 hours. On the Catalan language, he described its state in Catalonia as "depressed, especially in Barcelona—in frank decline." In contrast, he praised Andorra: "It's incredible here. Almost everyone speaks or understands it, which surprises those of us from below."

Part of the NAIMAN Entrevista project, the 90-minute session ended with audience questions, fostering an open dialogue on profession, country, language and life. Basté left clear that as long as he enjoys it, his voice will remain part of the Catalan airwaves.