Journalist's Guide to Crafting Humorous Political Contracròniques
A Diari d'Andorra reporter shares a seven-rule manual for satirical takes on Andorran politics, blending observation, irony, and unbiased humor to.
Key Points
- Started Feb 2023 for elections, expanded to local politics; survived to 2025 with minor backlash.
- Rule 1: Arrive without plan to capture authentic, comic moments.
- Rule 2: Observe in-person for gestures and whispers missed on TV.
- Rules 3-7: Credit fun politicians, find ironic angles via analogies, mask biases, brace for complaints.
A journalist at *Diari d'Andorra* has outlined a personal guide to crafting "contracròniques"—humorous, offbeat takes on political debates that prioritize the "how" over standard who-what-where reporting.
The approach began in February 2023, sparked by a suggestion to cover the election campaign with a fresh, light-hearted lens. What started with national politics expanded to local council races and sessions of the Consell General. The writer notes surviving to late 2025 without serious backlash as a small victory, though occasional testy WhatsApp messages from displeased politicians have been par for the course.
The manual's first rule: dive in without a preconceived plan. Arriving unprepared captures authentic political scuffles, debate flops, and comic moments, even if initial drafts feel awkward or require heavy rewriting—especially under deadline pressure.
Observation ranks second, with in-person attendance trumping TV viewing. From the public gallery, one spots gestures, discomfort, sidelong glances, and whispered exchanges that screens miss, providing hooks for satire.
Third, credit accommodating politicians who deliver material effortlessly. This year, figures like Marsol, Espot, Escalé, Baró, and especially Montaner have enlivened dull proceedings, turning post-lunch Consell debates from torture into entertainment.
Finding the right angle comes fourth and proves trickiest. Rather than dry facts, contracròniques explain events through everyday analogies—schoolyards, football matches, Christmas dinners, or slapstick films. Irony helps, particularly amid heated clashes.
Fifth, mask personal biases. While preferences inevitably surface, the piece must avoid favoritism. Distribute jabs evenly, embracing dark humor even if it targets one's own side, all while maintaining respect.
Finally, brace for fallout. Poor efforts go unnoticed; sharper ones draw anonymous gripes about writing quality or alleged bias. Over time, such feedback signals readership, and not everyone can be pleased.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources: